Islam Makhachev Shocks Fans by Pitching Unexpected Opponent for His Next Potential Welterweight Bout

Former lightweight king Islam Makhachev is already mapping out his next moves at 170 pounds if he gets past Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.

Islam Makhachev Shocks Fans by Pitching Unexpected Opponent for His Next Potential Welterweight Bout

Islam Makhachev wants Kamaru Usman at the welterweight division (via X)

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Islam Makhachev is closing in on his long-awaited welterweight debut this Saturday at UFC 322, where he will challenge champion Jack Della Maddalena in a blockbuster title fight. The Dagestani dynamo hopes to claim a second UFC belt and carve his name even deeper into MMA history. Brimming with confidence ahead of the showdown, he’s already teasing who he wants next if he gets past JDM.

Makhachev enters UFC 322 on a blistering 15-fight win streak, one victory away from tying Anderson Silva’s iconic 16-fight record. His blend of suffocating wrestling, elite grappling, and steadily sharpening striking has made him the betting favorite.

And in a recent interview with Adin Ross, he revealed that if he becomes welterweight champion on Saturday, he intends to chase another top contender immediately, signaling big plans for his run at 170 pounds.

After Jack, Kamaru. He has the most title defenses in the welterweight division, and now he’s in a good position.

Islam Makhachev via Adin Ross‘s stream

For the unversed, Kamaru Usman was one of the most dominant fighters during his prime, holding five successful welterweight title defenses between 2019 and 2022. Known for his relentless pressure and striking, Usman has been consistently rated as the best 170-pounder by many, including Dana White.

However, after losing his gold at UFC 278 against Leon Edwards, he went on a three-fight losing skid, which included a rematch against ‘Rocky’ at UFC 286 and a short-notice middleweight bout against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.

Moreover, he even went on a nearly two-year hiatus after his last loss. But as champions always do, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ bounced back from defeat with a decisive win at UFC Atlanta against Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.

Despite his close friendship with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman has already expressed interest in facing Islam Makhachev inside the Octagon.

According to Usman, a fight against Makhachev would be massive, and he is open to facing JDM as well if Makhachev loses. However, at 38 years old, Usman’s ongoing knee problems have raised serious doubts about his ability to perform at the highest level. Many fans instead prefer Makhachev to challenge other welterweight contenders like Shavkat Rakhmonov, Belal Muhammad, or Ian Garry next. 

Apart from that, many fans are demanding that Makhachev face Ilia Topuria in one of the most anticipated superfights recently. The Dagestani has also shown interest in the contest, but isn’t sure about cutting weight to 155lbs again. Makhachev looked buff in his latest video, which has raised anticipation about his upcoming clash against Della Maddalena. 

Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena UFC 322 prediction by a former champion 

Irrespective of the betting odds against him, Jack Della Maddalena remains confident about defeating Islam Makhachev at UFC 322. He believes his previous fight against Belal Muhammad provided the perfect blueprint to handle a dominant wrestler like Makhachev effectively. With unshakable faith in his striking, the Aussie has promised to break down and knock out Makhachev before a roaring MSG crowd.

Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev face-to-face
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev face-to-face (via X)

Della Maddalena was recently spotted training alongside Alexander Volkanovski, who previously fought Islam Makhachev twice at UFC 284 and UFC 294, respectively. The reigning 170lbs kingpin has also been diligently working on his takedown defense with BJJ ace Craig Jones to counter Makhachev’s wrestling-heavy approach.

Confident in his preparation, Maddalena plans to send Makhachev back to the lightweight division after proving his superiority. However, former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis recently shared his prediction, publicly siding with Makhachev to win the upcoming bout..

I love Jack Della. I think he’s an incredible fighter. That being said if you look at his opponents and Makhachev opponents. Makhachev was the pound-for-pound for a very long time. Jack Della, I love his personality and I would love for him to win but can’t go against Makhachev in this one. He’s just so good. 

Dricus Du Plessis via Fight Forecast 

Makhachev remains supremely confident in his ability to take down opponents and dominate them with his ground control and submissions. He fully understands the threat Della Maddalena presents, but remains eager to capture his second UFC championship belt.

Ahead of the massive fight week, Makhachev was spotted fishing in New York, joking that he would catch the biggest one on Saturday. The Dagestani champion aims to turn Madison Square Garden into his hunting ground as he seeks to cement his legacy further. 

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