Islam Makhachev wants to experience what it feels to win a championship for the first time again. The lightweight title holder pulled out the win against Dustin Poirier with a D’Arce choke in the fifth round of their UFC 302 main event bout minutes ago to retain his UFC lightweight title. While Poirier managed to have some good moments in the fight and gave the champ quite a challenge, he fell short in the end.

After the bout, the Dagestani told Joe Rogan that he wants to fight welterweight champion Leon Edwards for the 170-pound title (as he has wanted to do for a long time) next. For a very unique and peculiar reason: he wants to feel the ecstasy and elation that only winning a title for the first time can bring.

“Its my dream, I want to fight for the second belt. I want to feel that energy again. Because when you defend your belt, its not same. I need new one… 100% that’s my dream,” he said in the post-fight Octagon interview. And now all eyes are on UFC CEO Dana White, who is the only person who Makhachev needs on board to challenge ‘Rocky’ for a shot at becoming double champion and strengthening his legacy.

This is not the first time Makhachev has expressed his desire to fight for the 170-pound title. The lightweight champ had floated a possible bout against Edwards last year, too, and had even supported Colby Covington in his UFC 295 clash against the 170-pound king because ‘Chaos’ had promised a welterweight title shot to the Dagestani. However, that does not seem likely based upon what Dana White said at the press conference.

Dana White ‘likes’ Makhachev-Tsarukyan next

At the press conference, Dana White was asked about what the Las Vegas-based promotion sees in the near future for the victorious lightweight champ. While not completely ruling out a welterweight title shot for Islam Makhachev next, the UFC CEO stated: “The [Arman] Tsarukyan fight is what we like, that’s the fight we want to do.” 

Arman Tsarukyan, of course, is the official number 1 title contender for the 155-pound crown, which he became after defeating former champ Charles Oliveira at their UFC 300 title eliminator. Should the Armenian contender face Makhachev in the Octagon next, it would give him a chance to avenge his earlier loss to the Dagestani.

Tsarukyan had lost to Makhachev at their first encounter at a Fight Night clash five years ago, which was the Armenian’s first UFC fight. Since then, he has come a long way and made significant improvements in his game. Further, given that he, like Makhachev, is a grappler, the match-up is not too unfavorable for him, despite the champ’s status as perhaps the best grappler in the UFC at the moment.

Check out the full results of the UFC 302 card here. Watch this space for more updates.