Tag

Islam Makhachev

All articles tagged with #islam makhachev

Prates eyes Brown’s KO crown as Makhachev looms
sports22 days ago

Prates eyes Brown’s KO crown as Makhachev looms

Carlos Prates extended his knockout streak to seven with a win over Jack Della Maddalena, tying him for fifth in UFC welterweight knockouts and positioning him to challenge Matt Brown’s all-time record. Brown, on The Fighter vs. The Writer, said he’d be honored if Prates pursued the record and praised Prates’ diverse striking. The piece notes Prates’ back-to-back KO wins over former champions and discusses Islam Makhachev as the looming obstacle at welterweight, with Brown predicting Makhachev would likely beat Garry, Prates, and Morales and urging an active title-defense schedule that could set up future matchups such as Topuria.

Cormier: Carlos Prates championship-ready after Perth performance
mma23 days ago

Cormier: Carlos Prates championship-ready after Perth performance

Daniel Cormier praised Carlos Prates after Prates dominated former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena with a third‑round stoppage at UFC Perth, saying Prates is championship‑ready and on a short list for a welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev. Prates has rebounded from an earlier loss to Ian Garry and continued to rack up knockouts and bonuses, but the 170‑pound division remains crowded, with Garry still favored to challenge Makhachev while Prates isn’t ruled out.

Prates Dominates Maddalena in Perth, Eyes on Title as Makhachev Signals Garry Bout
sports25 days ago

Prates Dominates Maddalena in Perth, Eyes on Title as Makhachev Signals Garry Bout

Carlos Prates delivered a flawless performance to overwhelm Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, earning a likely No. 1 ranking in welterweight and setting up a potential title showdown. Islam Makhachev congratulated Prates with a playful Nutella cake jab, while buzz grows around a Makhachev–Ian Garry title clash (potentially at UFC 330 in Philadelphia); Prates has called dibs on the winner, with contenders like Michael Morales and Ilia Topuria also in the mix.

Topuria’s Camp says Islam Makhachev was never option for UFC White House; Gaethje was the chosen fight
sports1 month ago

Topuria’s Camp says Islam Makhachev was never option for UFC White House; Gaethje was the chosen fight

Ilia Topuria’s manager Malki Kawa says Islam Makhachev was never an actual option for the UFC White House card; negotiations ultimately centered on a Gaethje fight after Makhachev was sidelined by an injury, with Topuria still eyeing a future showdown with Makhachev and ongoing talks about pay and terms.

Makhachev’s team shuts down Topuria superfight; summer welterweight title defense already lined up
sports2 months ago

Makhachev’s team shuts down Topuria superfight; summer welterweight title defense already lined up

Islam Makhachev’s manager says a potential champ-champ bout with Ilia Topuria never got close, as the UFC shifted toward a summer welterweight title defense while Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight unification is set for June 14. There was talk of stripping Topuria to crown an undisputed 170-pound champ with Gaethje vs. Arman Tsarukyan if the Topuria fight didn’t happen, and the UFC is expected to announce the actual challenger for Makhachev’s 170-pound title in mid-2026, with names like Ian Garry, Michael Morales, or Kamaru Usman floated.

Poirier: Makhachev’s size overwhelmed him at UFC 302; Makhachev disputes the weight claim
sports2 months ago

Poirier: Makhachev’s size overwhelmed him at UFC 302; Makhachev disputes the weight claim

Poirier said Islam Makhachev looked enormous across the octagon at UFC 302, estimating Makhachev at about 190–192 pounds while he fought at roughly 176. Makhachev replied via Telegram that he has never weighed more than 176 pounds. Poirier lost to Makhachev by a fifth‑round brabo choke and described the choke’s unique mechanics, while noting Makhachev later moved up to welterweight and dominated Jack Della Maddalena to win that championship, highlighting the size and strength edge Poirier faced that night.

Topuria Fires Back at Makhachev Over White House Absence
sports2 months ago

Topuria Fires Back at Makhachev Over White House Absence

Ilia Topuria blasted Islam Makhachev for missing a potential superfight and not appearing at the UFC White House event, claiming Makhachev cited an injury; Makhachev replied after Topuria’s posts, and Dana White said neither fighter was guaranteed to headline. Makhachev holds the 170-pound belt after beating Della Maddalena, while Topuria remains focused on a future title run and is set to face Gaethje on June 14.

Topuria’s White House fight nearly collapsed over pay before late deal kept him on the card
sports2 months ago

Topuria’s White House fight nearly collapsed over pay before late deal kept him on the card

Topuria’s manager says early talks to include him on the UFC White House card stalled after a low offer; after late Friday and then Wednesday negotiations, they rejected the initial money and later agreed to face Islam Makhachev (over Gaethje) as pay improved, with White confirming the matchup wasn’t officially finalized at first and Topuria still set to be the last to walk out on June 14.

White denies last-minute Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria on UFC White House card
sports2 months ago

White denies last-minute Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria on UFC White House card

Dana White rejected reports that Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria was the last-minute headliner for the UFC White House show, confirming instead that Ilia Topuria will face Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification and noting Makhachev’s hand injury. He also said Topuria wasn’t initially supposed to be on the card and that the late changes stemmed from another issue at Power Slap, with more UFC events expected to be announced soon.

White House card scrambles: Makhachev-Topuria not in plans as Gaethje-Topuria rise to headline
sports2 months ago

White House card scrambles: Makhachev-Topuria not in plans as Gaethje-Topuria rise to headline

Dana White denied reports that Islam Makhachev was slated to fight Ilia Topuria on the UFC White House card, confirming instead that Topuria will headline a lightweight title unification bout with Justin Gaethje. Makhachev is sidelined by a hand injury and Ramadan obligations, while Topuria and Gaethje were late additions after a chaotic build‑up following a Power Slap event; the card is set for June 14 as part of the America 250 celebration.