Islam Makhachev Set for UFC 311 Return as Khabib Nurmagomedov Gives Huge Update on Arman Tsarukyan Rematch

Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that Islam Makhachev will make his return to the Octagon on the UFC 311 card in January 2025. Of course, the lightweight champ was slated to face official #1 title contender Arman Tsarukyan on UFC 308 in October. But, a hand injury forced him to delay his next title defense, and now it turns out he will return at UFC 311. Nothing including the date or venue for that card is known at the moment.

“There will always be some challenges here. Challenges, new contenders for the title. This sport is growing very fast. Many new young people appear guys, there will be good opponents for Islam always. Islam is now not only the champion, now he is the best pound-for-pound fighter. Today UFC offered us a fight in January, we accepted it. UFC will do it very soon- announcement of where it will take place and who will be there. I myself will not make an announcement,” Nurmagomedov said in a recent interview.

Khabib was reluctant to name Makhachev’s next opponent, it is almost definitely going to be Tsarukyan. However, since this is the UFC, there are no guarantees. Of course, Makhachev is closing in on a couple of records and a win over Tsarukyan would help him cement himself as an all-time great.

Makhachev is tied with ‘Khabib’ for the most UFC lightweight title defense (three) at the moment. Not to mention he is closing in on Anderson Silva’s record sixteen-consecutive  UFC wins record. A win over Tsarukyan will be the Dagestani’s fifteenth and put him two consecutive wins away from breaking the all-time record.

UFC 311 main event revealed before UFC 310 headliner

The UFC will return to Las Vegas for UFC 310 on December 7. And while a fair few fights have already been announced for the last PPV card of the year, a main event is yet to be announced. There haven’t really been any leaks or any substantive rumors about it. And that, of course, has led to a lot of speculation.

A title fight will almost definitely headline the December card, or a Conor McGregor fight, which is bigger than any title fight. Conor McGregor, of course, had been making a lot of noise about fighting on 310, but since Michael Chandler (who has confirmed he will be ‘Mac’s next opponent) is fighting on UFC 308, a McGregor comeback is almost definitely out of the question.

Another prime candidate is the rematch between middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. Dana White, after all, has confirmed that bout will happen but said nothing about when. Incidentally, Du Plessis-Strickland 1 (which was razor-close) was the first PPV card of 2024 and it would be almost poetic to have their rematch as the last PPV event for 2024.

Newly minted welterweight champ Belal Muhammad, too, would be available for his first title defense. He may well headline UFC 310 and has a couple of exciting challengers to contend with. If it is indeed ‘Bully B’ on top of the card, his opponent will most likely be undefeated Kazakh welterweight boogeyman, Shavkat Rakhmonov. Or perhaps even former champ Kamaru Usman, but chances of that are much lower. What do you think will be the UFC 310 main event?