Belal or no Belal; Islam Makhachev makes his intention clear about chasing second world title in UFC

UFC 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev will go for his fourth consecutive title defense against a familiar foe soon. He rematches top contender Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 PPV (pay-per-view) main card headliner. However, a run isn’t quite that legendary until one gets to be a champ’s champ. For this, Makhachev has Belal Muhammad in mind.

Islam Makhachev is riding a remarkable winning streak at lightweight. That includes his 2022 submission win over Charles Oliveira to claim the 155-pound strap. It includes victories over Alexander Volkanovski. Makhchev also recently submitted veteran lightweight Dustin Poirier for his third consecutive title defense. Now, he wants to write his ticket in a dual-division bid against Belal Muhammad.

If the year plays out perfectly for Makhachev with three fights, he wants a welterweight shift. Belal Muhammad recently won the 170-pound crown from Leon Edwards atop the UFC 304 PPV. He is a close acquaintance and new addition to  AKA and Eagles MMA camps. Muhammad yet again joined them for the UFC 311 camp (now at Las Vegas PI). But that doesn’t stop the champ’s champ goals.

👀🏆 Apparently, Islam Makhachev doesn't rule out fighting Belal Muhammad for the Welterweight belt:

"This is my dream. We have Belal there; he's going to defend his belt soon. Belal and I have the same manager. We will sit and talk… I don't want to leave this sport without… pic.twitter.com/FwwBfE9ibk

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 12, 2025

Khabib Nurmagomedov is against his prized pupil going up against his camp brethren. Muhammad’s NCAA Division I Wrestling coach – Chicago Fight Team’s Louis Taylor also doesn’t want to see the two brothers fight.

But some eggs do need to scramble to make a dish. Makhachev would not let friend Belal Muhammad or anything else stop him from a bountiful year and a second gold. As it is – he is this close to surpassing one long standing UFC competition record.

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Islam Makhachev is a top-breed lightweight and a reckoning with his 14-fight streak and exclusive title-win club membership. The dominant Dagestani’s four wins in UFC lightweight title fights tie with Nurmagomedov, Benson Henderson, and B.J. Penn for the most in the division. His 14-fight UFC winning streak is the longest active one.

But, other than GOAT Jon Jones, one record that has stood the test of time is Anderson Silva’s record of 16 consecutive UFC victories. “Spider’s” incredible run came to an end at the hands of Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July 2013. But Makhachev is going strong. After UFC 311 PPV, he plans at least two more scraps throughout the year. One more, and he’d have surpassed that record.

It’d be realistic as he is competing early in 2025, before his Ramadan break, and entering yet another possible camp down the line. All that could change, however, with Makhachev meeting Arman Tsarukyan. It’s a stiff test, but nothing he hasn’t faced before. Tsarukyan, though, thinks he is the best bet to take the gold away from the champion.

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Team Khabib predicts  Islam Makahchev  to deliver a more vicious performance at UFC 311: “The fight won’t go five rounds”

Given Makhachev’s current status as the current top Pound-for-pound, DraftKings Sportsbook opens him on a prop of moderate favorite at -265. Tsarukyan is listed as a +215 underdog. Come this weekend, it’d be clear if Makhachev is sent packing, or if he chases a second belt and breaks records.

Related: “What pain?” Islam Makhachev scares controversial streamer Adin Ross with submission attempt

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