Islam Makhachev Pushes for Kamaru Usman Title Defense Despite Backlash

Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev isn’t backing down from his preferred choice for his first title defense even as fans and analysts continue to criticize the matchup.

Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC), who claimed the 170-pound belt with a dominant victory over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, has repeatedly stated that former champion Kamaru Usman should be next. And despite widespread pushback, he doubled down this week in an interview with Red Corner MMA, delivered in Russian.

“I said I wanted to fight Kamaru Usman next,” Makhachev said. “The media doesn’t believe in this fight… but in my opinion, Usman would steamroll through these up-and-comers.”

Why Usman? Makhachev Explains His Case

Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC), once one of the most dominant champions in MMA history, is just 1–4 in his past five fights. But Makhachev argues that résumé still matters — and that Usman is being dismissed too quickly.

Makhachev believes Usman would defeat rising contenders such as Michael Morales and Carlos Prates, whom he called “unchecked” talents.

“I think Usman would be the hardest fight for me,” Makhachev said. “We could build it as former champion, most title defenses, the toughest challenge. It would be a fun fight to promote.”

Usman recently snapped a long layoff by defeating Joaquin Buckley, who had been gaining momentum in the division. Makhachev pointed to that win as evidence that Usman still belongs near the top of the pack.

“Buckley was one of the contenders,” Makhachev said. “Usman took him apart, and everyone already forgot about this guy. If Buckley won, he’d be the No. 1 contender right now.”

Critics Point to Usman’s Recent Struggles

Not everyone agrees with Makhachev’s assessment.

Usman is just 1–4 since 2022, including back-to-back losses to Leon Edwards and a short-notice defeat to Khamzat Chimaev. Meanwhile, rising stars such as Morales and Ian Machado Garry have been building strong cases for a title shot.

Many fans argue that Usman has not done enough recently to earn another opportunity especially over surging contenders with unbeaten streaks.

But Makhachev insists that name value, championship pedigree, and stylistic difficulty matter just as much.