Mauricio Ruffy has had his eyes on Islam Makhachev for a while. Remember when the Brazilian star defeated Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 301 in the first round via TKO? During the post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, Ruffy said, “I have a message for Islam Makhachev, a nice message: Hey, enjoy your days at the top. I know you’re upset because I beat your friend, but enjoy your days because a new king is coming.” (Ruffy’s victory on DWCS came against Makhachev’s training partner Raimond Magomedaliev in October 2023). He has mapped his route to the top and all he needs to do is win consistently.

But that is easier said than done. Ruffy does have a phenomenal professional MMA record; Out of the 12 wins, he has won 11 via KO/TKO and lost only one fight in his career. And while he called out Beneil Dariush after his newest UFC 313 victory against Bobby Green, make no mistake, Ruffy intends to face the Dagestani champion one day. That might take a while, though. The Brazilian is just three-fights old in the UFC.

During his new appearance on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’, Ruffy said, “Islam, I’m on my path towards you. I am on my way to becoming champion.” Needless to say, becoming a champion is something that the entire fighting-verse dreams of. It’s the one throne that cements the fighters’ legacy in the promotion. And like many others, ‘One Shot’ had set his eyes on the current lightweight champion with the intention of overthrowing his dominance.

But can he get to Islam Makhachev on time?

You see, the lightweight champion is looking for new challenges like jumping to the welterweight and dominating the heavier weight class. He wants to leave behind a legacy set in stone. In addition to this, Ruffy is nowhere in the top 15 of the lightweight division. He will have to enter the top rankings and prove himself time and again in order to get a chance at the title.

So UFC fans feel that Mauricio Ruffy is aiming too high, too soon. They shared their unfiltered opinions on social media. What did they say?

Fans predict Islam Makhachev’s retirement by the time Mauricio Ruffy climbs the ranks!

Earlier in December 2024, Javier Mendez hinted at Makhachev’s retirement. “He’s going to probably do what Khabib [Nurmagomedov] did and retire at 35,” Mendez stated. With talks of Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria going wild in the fighting realm, the coach also declared that the Dagestani wasn’t really interested in fighting the Spaniard. “Well, Khabib did it a lot earlier, but I think 35 is the magic number for these guys. They have that in their head, that 35 is the cutoff point.”

Makhachev is 33 already. With the current trends, we might get to see him fight just a couple of more times before he decides to hang his gloves. On this tangent, fans claimed:

• “Islam will do two more fights and will say goodbye to MMA so I really don’t know about that , but good luck for you ruffy.”
• “By the time he gets there Islam will have retired already lol.”

Even if Mauricio Ruffy stays extremely active and fights two more times this year, it will be difficult for him to climb the rankings so soon. Owing to this, a fan suggested the Brazilian change his aim.

• “Too late. If you continue winning you might face Usman.”

But hey, there’s an issue with this. Usman Nurmagomedov is currently with the PFL and never fought under the UFC banner. However, reports suggest that the Dagestani could sign a deal with the UFC by 2027. Perhaps that is when the current lightweight king Islam Makhachev might make an exit in order to allow Nurmagomedov to settle into the division.

• “U have to get through top 5 before Islam 😂 a tough job.”
• “By the time you get to the top 5, Islam gonna be retired bro.”

Well, Makhachev versus Ruffy doesn’t seem like a reality in the near future. As he climbs the ranks in the lightweight division, not only will his striking be tested, but he will also have to face high-level grapplers. That latter is something that fans haven’t seen him face.

However, Mauricio Ruffy looks like a promising young talent in the UFC and his rise to the top ranks of the division will be worth following. What do you think?