Earlier this month at the UFC 311 post-fight presser, reigning 155lbs champion Islam Makhachev sparked speculations of a potential move to the middleweight division, saying, “Just give me the chance, that’s it. I will fight [Dricus] du Plessis. If they give me the chance, I will fight him also. I swear, if Dana White sends me the contract, I will fight him also.” This came after Makhachev successfully defended his title for the fourth time. However, when asked about moving past the 185lbs division to possibly face Alex Pereira at 205lbs, the lightweight champion laughed and replied, “No, it’s too much.”

The Dagestan’s Product remarks have sent waves through the division. While he previously expressed interest in becoming a two-division champion by moving up to welterweight (170lbs), his close friendship with reigning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has now made it seem like he’s eyeing the 185lbs division instead. Their close friendship rules out the possibility of Islam Makhachev facing Belal Muhammad at welterweight, but his ambition to win a second belt by moving to middleweight remains.

The situation has stirred up considerable conversation, with Chael Sonnen weighing in during his appearance with MMA Junkie. Sonnen explained, “You put down a bigger check than somebody else, they’ll put your jersey on. The only real team is Khabib’s, and they have a code and an honor. You’re just not going to see a fight with Islam and Belal.” Sonnen went further, revealing that Makhachev’s real motivation isn’t about a new title or challenge; “he wants out of the weight class.”

Sonnen also made a comparison between Islam Makhachev’s current situation and that of his coach and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. According to Sonnen, Khabib didn’t retire in 2021 just because the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, but because “The UFC showed him the wrong numbers every time they had a meeting. They showed more commas and more zeros. If they would have made the weight class 170, they would have called Khabib for one more fight.” Sonnen argues that the UFC’s terms and conditions didn’t meet the expectations of a UFC Hall of Famer.

Although Islam Makhachev is still distant from a potential move to the middleweight division, Dricus du Plessis appears to already have a plan in store for him. The next chapter is yet to unfold.

Dricus Du Plessis is ready for his “easy payday” fight against Islam Makhachev

Dricus du Plessis is ready to defend his middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 next month, marking the UFC’s highly anticipated return to Australia. This rematch with Strickland is pivotal for ‘Stillknocks’, but the recent remarks from Islam Makhachev have added extra pressure.

While Dricus du Plessis remains focused on his upcoming bout, he can’t fully disregard the possibility of facing Makhachev. This was evident during his recent conversation with Main Event TV ahead of his title fight.

Du Plessis pointed out the significant weight class difference, saying, “Right now, it’s hard to take it seriously with such a big fight ahead… The weight difference is massive. He’s a big lightweight, but I’m a big middleweight. There’s a huge gap between a big lightweight and a big middleweight. However, if a situation arises where there’s no fight for me or for him that makes sense, I’d be happy to take that fight. Easy payday.”

What do you think of Chael Sonnen’s perspective on Islam Makhachev? Do you agree with his take on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement? Could Khabib’s problems with weight cuts have played a role in his decision to walk away from the UFC? Share your thoughts below.