Islam Makhachev’s cryptic message after UFC 313 jeopardy leaves UFC fans in frenzy

Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev drops a cryptic tease following Dan Hooker's recent UFC 313 PPV pullout.

Islam Makhachev’s cryptic message after UFC 313 jeopardy leaves UFC fans in frenzy

Islam Makhachev causes ruckus right after UFC 313 PPV chaos (Source: IMAGO/X)

Devout Muslim fighter and UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev is a man of few words. Fight week with Team Khabib, camp prep, global war, mountainside biking, and a deleted pet cat account are what he usually dabbles in. But when Makhachev does say a few words, it carries weight. Hence, after the recent UFC 313 PPV pullout, the UFC 155-pound champ has sent fans into a frenzy with a recent tease.

Lightweight contender Dan Hooker pulled out of UFC 313’s most exciting five-round co-main event against Justin Gaethje. The state of the March 8 Pay-per-view card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is quite foggy. With the talent pool of the 155-pound division, it shouldn’t stay that way for long. Now, Islam Makhachev stirs the pot with a cryptic new tease on his IG stories (@islam_makhachev).

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The word-for-word translation, as close as it gets, means someone “needs to be put out” or, maybe some fire, with him standing beside fire extinguishers. If Makhachev was trotting the 205 lanes it could very well mean a challenge to Alex Pereira, I.E. – fire (🔥 “CHAMA”).

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Chatboards have joked this is a jab at firefighter Stipe Miocic. But what fire or swirling rumor does the lightweight champ put out now? Team Makhachev did hint at giving Gaethje a chance, long before UFC 313.

Coach Javier Mendez would rather Makhachev’s next defense of the 155-pound strap didn’t come against another current/former 145lber. Gaethje, a strike-heavy fighter, but with NCAA Division I wrestling pedigree, fits the frame. Speaking away from UFC 313 and 145-pound though, Ilia Topuria is a brand new challenge at 155. Does this have to do with him?

Will Islam Makhachev snuff out the fire of Ilia Topuria’s aspirations?

Topuria will vacate the stake to his featherweight title as soon as the first punch is thrown at UFC 314 PPV, April 12 at Kaseya Center in Miami. He has kept no secrets about making a move up to the lightweight division. Topuria even once wanted to challenge Charles Oliveira for the top contender spot for gold.

Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev still a possibility?
Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev still a possibility? (Source: X)

“Do Bronxs” has the promise from the brass to be the UFC 155-pound top seed and get his rematch with Islam Makhachev. Meanwhile, Arman Tsarukyan, who defeated him, goes back to the drawing board despite ranking #1 on the lightweight rankings.

These two days, there has been a swirling rumor that Tsarukyan vs. Topuria might be in the works. However, the Spaniard seems to have shot that down. He and Islam Makhachev have amped up the banter since news of his vacating. Hence, Topuria is seemingly not keen on a non-top-contender scrapper at 155 pounds.

Despite turning him down many times, Topuria is hell-bent on challenging Makhachev for the gold. So – this title aspiration to shoot to the top might be the fire in need of snuffing. Recently, Mendez told Submission Radio that this would mean cutting the line. However, he thinks “El Matador” has defeated big names to deserve his spot at the top of the order. His peers have said similarly. But if this tease had anything to do with him, Makhachev clearly thinks different.

Related: “We’ve both been there with Khabib…” Justin Gaethje has advise for Dustin Poirier ahead of Islam Makhachev fight