After conquering and decimating the lightweight division of the UFC, ‘The Eagle’s greatest project and student yet, Islam Makhachev, has taken the internet by storm and has set his eyes on the title one weight class above his own; the welterweight championship. This move was anticipated by many and has probably come at the right time for the Dagestani. His team sees no real competition anymore in the division, and with a welterweight title fight set for UFC 315, Islam can find himself in front of a great opportunity.

This fight has one obstacle, which is the 170-pound kingpin himself, Belal Muhammad. A close friend of Islam’s brother-in-arms and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Muhammad’s title fight will have a huge impact on Islam’s fate at welterweight. If Muhammad wins, Islam will possibly wait for further title fights and take a different opponent to get used to the heavier weight class, or he will be forced to take the darker path and fight ‘Remember the Name’ in a fight we all know will be very competitive but may leave things bitter in their friendship—a scenario Khabib and his team want to avoid at all costs.

But to the rescue, yet again, it’s the Irish welterweight, Ian Garry. While talking to the ShakMMA, Ian ‘Machado’ Garry had high praise for Islam Makhachev, and as he welcomed the Dagestani in the welterweight division, he strongly expressed that the pound-for-pound number #1 in the world surely deserves a title shot in the 170-pound division.

“He can jump the queue if he wants to. He’s Islam Makhachev, he is the pound-for-pound number one. You gotta give respect where respect is due. And if that man turns up, and says, ‘I wanna be next’, and I think everyone in the welterweight division goes like, ‘okay.’ And I think if you try and argue that, then you don’t have respect for the greatest in the world. I think he’s an absolute disaster for everyone in the division if he comes up and doesn’t have to cut weight. He’ll be big, he’ll still be strong. He’s the perfect example of the new evolution of fighters—great everywhere,” ‘The Future’ said.

But the most interesting part of his whole statement came when he expressed his interest in a possible fight with Makhachev. Garry said: “And I have nothing but respect for the man, but I’m someone who wants to test myself against the best in the world, and I would love to test myself against him.” A possible blessing in disguise for Makhachev indeed.

Now, even if Muhammad wins, Makhachev can not only fight a welterweight to adjust to the weight class, but he can also close a huge draw by fighting Garry, who is backed by a huge crowd. But if Islam and Khabib have made a blueprint for the welterweight division, what is going to happen in the lightweight division?

UFC’s lightweight division poised for transformation as Islam Makhachev plans his welterweight move

After dominating his way through the top contenders to his lightweight title, Makhachev’s move to welterweight is not only welcomed but is even under the works now. After doing what Makhachev has achieved there, any competitive fighter would want a fresh challenge. Now with his eyes set on a new move, the lightweight division is also growing and evolving, with every fight brewing up more title eliminator match-ups and even more speculations about the next challenger.

Currently, Arman Tsarukyan stands as the no.1 contender to the lightweight championship. After a great performance and victory against Charles Olivera, he established himself further as a probable half of a future title fight. Even ‘Do Bronxs’ has managed to recover from the Tsarukyan loss and now surely expects his name as a challenger for the lightweight throne. But these are the old guards of the division now.

Taking over the whole division by storm is a British fighter by the name of Paddy Pimblett, who has a huge crowd behind him, and his in-ring ability has given UFC yet another prospect for not only the division but the organization as a whole. The Scouser has an immense amount of time left in his career, and right now, he has all the momentum that he needs.

The destroyer of the old guard of the UFC’s featherweight division, Ilia Topuria, has even vacated his belt for a shot at the lightweight title. According to him, the UFC has promised him the shot, and he will only fight for the belt. Since then, Topuria has left no chance in bringing up this topic in discussions. However, Topuria has only received rejection from the Russian’s team. If Makhachev’s move to the 170 lbs is imminent, perhaps Topuria will face another opponent for the vacated lightweight gold.

But everything is still just speculation at this point. Makhachev has very strongly established himself as one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever witnessed. And Ian Garry is right—after what Makhachev has done in the sport, it would be disrespectful to rule over his future and force him somewhere. Already the lightweight with the most defenses ever, it’s safe to say Makhachev has many options for his career ahead.

The question is, which way will he go? Will he go to the welterweight division and face new challenges, leaving the lightweight throne open for grabs? Or has he already moved on to the welterweight road? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.