Lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev is keeping his future plans close to the vest, and that appears to be a calculated strategy. Several reports indicated that the Dagestani was waiting until the UFC 315 showdown between Jack Della Maddalena and welterweight champion Belal Muhammad on May 10 before making any decisions about his next opponent. Moreover, Makhachev has long expressed interest in moving up to 170 pounds to pursue champ-champ status. However, his friendship and training relationship with Muhammad presents a potential complication to those aspirations. The 155-pound king has no desire to face his friend ‘Bully B’ or even Shavkat Rakhmonov in the Octagon.

“Well, I know both guys. These are not the fights I would like, for sure – both Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov. Both are world-class fighters with all the skills. They’re going to have a good fight coming up, that I’m interested to see.” Makhachev clarified at the UFC 311 media day. Moreover, ‘Bully B’ even offered to vacate his welterweight strap and move up to middleweight instead of fighting his ‘brother’.

“I would never fight Islam because that’s different for me and him. We’ve trained together, and when you’re sweating with somebody, and you’re bleeding with somebody, and you train with somebody like that, it’s just a different relationship. It wouldn’t be about the money for me or for him, I would assume.” Muhammad told Barstool Sports Chicago.

However, UFC analyst Chael Sonnen believes this hesitation stems from the influence of Makhachev’s mentor and friend, former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who likely plays a significant role in these strategic decisions. “Khabib came out and Khabib said ‘Islam will not be doing anything until the result Jack and Belal Muhammad becomes official.’ What he’s saying is that ‘We’re not gonna go up to 170 and call out Belal. That is our friend. We’re not gonna take his belt,” he said in a video on his Instagram account.

We cannot find any statements like this from Khabib, sources from Makhachev’s camp have made this claim. However, Ali Abdelaziz came out and wrote that the rumor about Makhachev waiting for the UFC 315 main event was “false news.” Perhaps ‘The Bad Guy’ knows something we don’t and it was indeed ‘The Eagle’ who made this decision. After all, amid talks of a Muhammad-Makhachev clash, Nurmagomedov had said that his “heart is not okay” about the prospect of that fight.

Muhammad trained under Khabib and his Dagestani cohorts before his title-winning UFC 304 domination of Leon Edwards last year. The Chicago native became especially close to ‘The Eagle’ during this time, whom he considers his idol anyway. This is why it seems likely that Makhachev would remain at lightweight if Muhammad beats Maddalena. But what if the Aussie juggernaut wins? In that case, the retired UFC legend thinks there is only one choice left to Dana White and Co.

Chael Sonnen pleads with the UFC to give Islam Makhachev a welterweight title shot

And Sonnen feels that if Muhammad loses his title to the Aussie challenger this May, he should absolutely get the 170-pound title shot. Why? We’ll let the verbose UFC analyst explain in his inimitable style. “Islam Makhachev has never asked for anything. But he made it very clear that he would like to be a 170 pounder,” Sonnen said before speaking from personal experience that if a fighter decides they are going to go up in weight, it is difficult for them to make the lower weight.

“I remember the last time I was gonna weigh 185 pounds. I remember where I was when I made that deal with myself. And I have never missed weight in my life and I come from a sport where I gotta weigh in every single Saturday. And I knew if I wanted to have that statement right there to be true, I was going to have to no longer sign contracts for 185 pounds. It is an absolute commitment. And the moment you stop making that commitment, you’re never getting back down to that weight class,” ‘Uncle Chael’ declared.

“I mean at some point we gotta give a guy who’s never been asked for anything, we gotta give him what he wants,” he concluded. Indeed, Makhachev fights anyone and everyone put in front of him, Ilia Topuria being an exception to the rule. The Dagestani has been a dominant champ and delivers every time.

This is why ‘Uncle Chael’ feels that if anyone deserves to move up and contend for a second title, it is Islam Makhachev. What do you think about Chael Sonnen’s thoughts on Islam Makhachev waiting for the Muhammad-Maddalena title clash before deciding his next course of action?