Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) bested Renato Moicano (20-6-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) this past January during UFC 311, getting the job done by way of first-round submission due to D’arce choke. For Makhachev, the victory marked his fourth successive defense of the strap at 155.
This win would also prove to be Makhachev’s final one at lightweight. Recently, in the wake of Jack Della Maddalena securing the UFC Welterweight Championship during UFC 314 in Montreal, Quebec over the Mother’s Day holiday weekend, UFC CEO Dana White took to social media to announce that Makhachev would no longer be defending the lightweight championship to pursue the welterweight division’s crown.
This set off a few rounds of sparring between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria last week over X (formerly Twitter.) As the current work week started, another war of words began in the podcast world.
Islam Makhachev Slammed by Chael Sonnen on Good Guy/Bad Guy with Daniel Cormier
During the Tuesday episode of the ESPN podcast Good Guy/Bad Guy, co-host and MMA legend Chael Sonnen discussed Makhachev’s move to the 170-lb division.
“I’m just not sure why these terms aren’t clearer,” Sonnen began on the podcast. “If Islam’s goal was to go up to 170 so he could obtain champ-champ status, but they take the 155-lb title away, they also take that opportunity to become champ-champ away, but hear me out on this, because they did the same thing to Ilia Topuria and Ilia’s claiming that he wasn’t stripped.”
Sonnen went onto cite an episode of The Ariel Helwani Show where it was mentioned that Topuria had been guaranteed a UFC Lightweight Championship fight, regardless of adversary, in the future. From there, the first salvo was fired.
“Islam went up, not out of courage,” he said about Islam Makhachev going to welterweight. “Islam did not go up out of adding hardware to put on his mantle, he went up with one condition, which is ‘I don’t have to fight Belal Muhammad.’ Now, he can sit around and say ‘I can beat Belal. I wouldn’t go up and beat Belal because I can beat Belal.’ The bottom line is you entered a division openly that you said you wouldn’t face one of the top guys! That’s not a sign of courage! That’s a sign of cowardice!”
Daniel Cormier Responds to Co-Host’s Comments on Islam Makhachev
Daniel Cormier, a double-champ at light heavyweight and heavyweight in the UFC, took to his own YouTube channel Wednesday to have his say on the issue.
“Chael and I were talking the other day, and sometimes we talk, and I don’t know if he’s trying to troll me, rile me up, or if he truly believes what he’s saying,” Cormier said before repeating Sonnen’s comments from earlier on in the week. “He was speaking in regards to Islam going up to 170. Here’s where I disagree with Chael [about Islam Makhachev]: He had been having his eyes on 170. This isn’t something new that Islam Makhachev was talking about, and how about the fact that people constantly call Islam, they called me, or anyone that cuts weight ‘weight bullies?’
Islam Makhachev Fires Back at Chael Sonnen
Earlier Thursday afternoon, Islam Makhachev took to his X account and landed an electronic counterpunch on Chael Sonnen.
“Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport,” Islam Makhachev posted to the social media platform. “But average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that.”
Thursday night, the latest Good Guy/ Bad Guy episode was uploaded to YouTube, with the Tete-a-Tete between Islam Makhachev and Chael Sonnen being addressed right from the beginning.
“Islam ain’t no coward, Chael,” Cormier said, “and if you have gone unscathed after you said that, unbelievable! You’re untouchable. If no one called you, if no one reached out, you’re untouchable.
Chael Sonnen’s Reply to Islam Makhachev’s Tweet
Later during the Thursday podcast, Sonnen gave a public response to Makhachev.
“There are many paths to greatness, son,” he remarked. “Travel yours as I traveled mine, and I will be there to help you stumble, as I always have. Signed, Uncle Chael– no, no, no, no, no– Signed, your guardian angel. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. Signed, your elder brother. You know what? Put them all. Uncle Chael, your guardian angel, your elder brother.”
Final Thoughts
This exchange between the two men is evenly matched. If one were tasked with having to score this, the easy decision would be to call this one a draw.
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