What started as a few pointed comments have quickly spiraled into an unexpected rivalry between Islam Makhachev and Chael Sonnen. The tension began when the former UFC title challenger accused the Russian of deliberately “avoiding” Ilia Topuria — a fight many fans had hoped would be the next Khabib vs. Conor 2.0. Instead, Makhachev chose to move up to welterweight, and ever since, the war of words between the two has only intensified.

Islam Makhachev didn’t stay silent. He fired back, branding Uncle Chael an “average athlete,” known for “cheap trash talk.” But the ‘American Gangster’, true to form and never one to back down, shot back with a biting message on X: “You won’t be the first guy from your gym who begged me for material… In fact, it wouldn’t be the first time — YOUR guy [Khabib Nurmagomedov] and the OTHER [Irish] guy [Conor McGregor] did it too.”

With that, Sonnen made it clear he remembers his place in the sport and wasn’t about to let Islam Makhachev forget it either. As the back-and-forth ramps up, Daniel Cormier — a longtime friend to both men and a central figure in ‘Team Khabib’ — has stepped in to ease the tension. On his podcast, Good Guy/Bad Guy, Cormier tried to strike a neutral tone and offered an explanation for why Makhachev might be steering clear of a showdown with Topuria. He hinted that the motivation could be more about avoiding chaos than competition.

Cormier said, “You got to understand, you got to understand that with these dudes and with Ilia and how bold he is, it feels to me like it would turn into a circus. And I don’t know that these dudes want to be involved in the circus, being that Khabib was involved in the biggest circus of all time with Conor. That’s me.”

And honestly, DC makes a fair point. We’ve already seen how badly things can spiral — just look back at the lead-up to UFC 229. The rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor reached a boiling point during UFC 223 media day, when the infamous bus attack shocked the MMA world and sparked one of the sport’s most heated feuds. But things truly erupted after UFC 229.

A full-blown post-fight brawl broke out inside the arena, with emotions spilling over into chaos that even required police involvement. That night didn’t just make history — it turned UFC 229 into the most-watched and most controversial pay-per-view the UFC has ever seen.

Daniel Cormier defends Islam Makhachev from Chael Sonnen’s “coward” allegation

Regardless of public opinion, Daniel Cormier firmly believes that Islam Makhachev has already proven his worth. And rightfully so. Since making his UFC debut in 2015, the former lightweight champion has been a dominant presence, following the path laid out by his mentor and close friend, Khabib Nurmagomedov. With a 15-fight win streak, the Russian currently ranks third for the longest unbeaten run in UFC history. Over the course of his decade-long career, he’s taken out the division’s elite and has successfully defended his belt four times, most recently stepping up against short-notice replacement Renato Moicano earlier this year.

Now, at 33, with a renewed sense of purpose, Islam Makhachev is setting his sights on the welterweight division. He’s chasing a second title — a shot at history — aiming to maximize what remains of his time in the sport. But when veteran analyst Chael Sonnen labeled him a “coward” for calling out Jack Della Maddalena for a 170-pound title clash, it didn’t sit right with Cormier. In a recent YouTube clip, DC pushed back on Sonnen’s take, stating:

“They’ve defended the belt multiple times. They fought people on short notice, they fought people coming up a weight class, they have done just about everything they can to show that they’re willing to lay it on the line… This is the first time Islam has honestly put his wishes above what everybody else wants.”

With that said, what’s your take on Islam Makhachev’s decision to move up to the welterweight division? Is the Dagestani champion truly seeking to cement his legacy by chasing a second title, or is this a calculated move to steer clear of Ilia Topuria and the media frenzy that fight would surely bring? Share your thoughts below.