Now, after the successful conclusion of UFC 307 last night, where fans witnessed UFC’s ranked #2 pound-for-pound fighter Alex Pereira successfully defend his Light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree Jr., excitement is building for the return of UFC pound-for-pound rank #1 fighter Islam Makhachev. He is set to rematch against Armenian sensation Arman Tsarukyan for the Light weight gold.

Makhachev has been out of action since his successful third title defense at UFC 302 last summer due to a torn ligament injury. The hype surrounding this fight in the MMA world is so intense that it has even affected other UFC champions, like newly crowned welterweight king Belal Muhammad, who can’t escape the excitement.

Belal Muhammad on Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan

Belal Muhammad is currently taking time off from the octagon after successfully dethroning former champion Leon Edwards a few months ago. He has chosen to pursue other endeavors, such as inspiring the next generation at the Tony Finau Foundation in Utah, the city that also hosted UFC 307 last week.

While speaking with Helen Yee, she asked him for his thoughts on the upcoming fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan, featuring his close friend and teammate from “Team Khabib.” Muhammad leaned toward Makhachev, stating, “I think Islam has shown that he gets better every single fight, and he’s been dominating so many fights.”

Muhammad further emphasized Makhachev’s all-around MMA persona, stating, “He showed you how much of a complete mixed martial artist he is, especially in that fight with Dustin, where he outstruck Dustin. People said that he would have to wrestle and do this, and then he got the finish late in the fight.” Belal Muhammad then hammered down the final nail in the debate, asserting, “Arman is a great fighter, but I just think Islam is levels above every single guy in that division right now.”

This is not the first time any UFC fighter has chimed in with their opinion on the highly anticipated Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan fight. A few weeks ago, Makhachev’s arch-nemesis, Michael Chandler, also picked his winner for the upcoming lightweight title bout.

Whom does Michael Chandler support?

Ranked #6 lightweight contender Michael Chandler has been out of the octagon for over 18 months, waiting for his lucrative “red panty night” against UFC superstar Conor McGregor. However, McGregor keeps delaying the fight—sometimes due to his issues with the anti-doping authority, other times because of his Hollywood endeavors, or, like last time, his injury, which caused their scheduled fight at UFC 303 to fall through. This has made ‘Iron’ a target for mockery, more so than McGregor, with Team Khabib’s member, Islam Makhachev, leading the charge. Makhachev labeled Chandler “Hachiko,” referencing the loyal dog who waited for his master until his death.

Despite this, Chandler sides with Makhachev in the upcoming title battle against top-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan. Speaking to ‘The Fighting SBN’, Chandler gave his honest opinion, stating, “I think Islam is a man possessed. I think Islam is bigger and stronger, and he’s got more skills. You know, obviously, I’ve studied the Oliveira-Arman fight a lot, which was Charles’s last fight, and he lost to Arman. I don’t think Arman has enough to beat Islam.”

What are your thoughts on Belal Muhammad’s and Micheal Chandler’s statements? Do you also believe that Islam Makhachev can repeat his past performance in the rematch against Arman Tsarukyan, who has become much more dangerous since their first fight? Drop your opinion below.