Ali Abdel-Aziz, the manager of UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, provided insight into why his client is considering a move to the welterweight division.
“I believe Islam will perform even better at welterweight than he does at lightweight. His overall mood will be improved, and he`ll be able to train with greater intensity,” Abdel-Aziz stated in a discussion with ESPN. “Some fighters, like Topuria, have moved up early due to severe weight cutting issues, but Makhachev doesn`t face such problems making the lightweight limit. Islam is fundamentally driven by his pursuit of greatness.”
Abdel-Aziz also addressed potential opponents, mentioning, “While I personally dislike Conor McGregor, he was undeniably a major star in his prime. A fight against him might have been a reason for Makhachev to remain in the lightweight category. However, Topuria doesn`t currently possess that level of superstardom. Islam`s focus is on progressing his career and achieving the status of a double champion. I sincerely wish Ilya the same success. As for what comes after that – who can say?”
