Islam Makhachev Accused of Stalling Welterweight Division Amid Prolonged Inactivity
It’s been a few months since Islam Makhachev won the UFC welterweight belt after defeating Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. It was a dominant performance as the Dagestani completely controlled the former champion for five straight rounds without giving him any real opportunity to recover.
Makhachev’s impressive victory significantly changed the entire dynamics of the UFC welterweight division. Every top contender suddenly became desperate and vocal about fighting the new champion as soon as possible.
However, Makhachev has clearly mentioned that he will not be fighting for the next few months because Ramadan falls in the middle of his usual training schedule. The expected period of inactivity has certainly raised several questions from respected experts and other active fighters, including Joaquin Buckley.
“Right now we all wasting time. We have the hottest division right now and nobody is fighting. You got Islam out there playing Wrestleball. You got Prates out there partying and clubbing. You got Morales out there twerking and twirling. And Shavkat is knocked out of the rankings,” said Joaquin Buckley via Instagram.
Islam Makhachev has been called out by surging contenders like Ian Machado Garry, Michael Morales, and Carlos Prates, all carrying impressive winning momentum. Joaquin Buckley has also expressed interest in fighting Makhachev, despite suffering a disappointing loss against veteran former champion Kamaru Usman.
Meanwhile, Makhachev has openly discussed the possibility of facing Usman next, a matchup many fans view as commercially attractive yet competitively puzzling. However, critics argue that by targeting established veterans instead of hungry rising contenders, Makhachev risks undermining division meritocracy and delaying fresh title opportunities.
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Top UFC lightweight credits Islam Makhachev’s wrestling capabilities
Before moving to the welterweight division, Islam Makhachev dominated the lightweight ranks at 155 pounds, overwhelming every challenger. The Dagestani champion built his reign on relentless chain wrestling, suffocating top control, and lethal submission skills.
Recently, top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan reflected on his toughest wrestling challenge, openly admitting that facing Makhachev tested his grappling. Having previously suffered defeat against Makhachev, Tsarukyan now insists he has evolved technically and mentally, confidently believing he can capture the championship belt.
“Right now at 155 nobody. I shouldn’t worry. It was Islam, but he went up. He doesn’t waste energy, he’s so calm too,” said Arman Tsarukyan via YouTube.
Tsarukyan is currently chasing a title shot against the champion Ilia Topuria, but hasn’t been lucky with opportunities. With Justin Gaethje being the new interim lightweight champion, the ‘El Matador’ will most probably fight Gaethje next.
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