In a bizarre twist of the butterfly effect, Belal Muhammad’s welterweight title win last year may have set the stage for the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion. Even before ‘Bully B’ claimed the belt, lightweight king Islam Makhachev had his sights set on moving up to welterweight in pursuit of a second title. And he’s made it clear that his ambitions don’t stop there.

“This is my dream,” Makhachev said. “But we have Belal there and he defends his belt soon, but me and Belal have same manager, Ali [Abdelaziz]. We’ll sit and talk. This is my dream to be double champion. I don’t want to leave the sport before I take second belt.” Makhachev declared in a chat with Adin Ross last month.

However, with Muhammad holding the welterweight belt and the long-standing tradition of Dagestani fighters avoiding matchups against close friends, Makhachev had to reconsider his plans. But rather than abandoning his quest for multiple titles, the lightweight champ and his team floated an even more ambitious idea—skipping welterweight altogether and challenging middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis instead.

“I can be three division (champion) also. Just give me the chance, that’s it. I will fight with (Dricus) Du Plessis, give me the chance, I will fight him also. I swear if Dana White sends me the contract, I will fight him also,” Makhachev sensationally stated at the UFC 311 post-fight presser.

At first, the notion of jumping two weight classes seemed far-fetched. After all, moving up just one division is already a daunting task. But Makhachev appears dead serious about making history, even suggesting that he still has his eyes on the welterweight belt as well. “I can say with confidence that I have a great chance to win a third belt. If anyone has it, it’s me.” Makhachev stated in a recent interview with Match TV, further solidifying his intentions to chase history.

Indeed, the Dagestani juggernaut has been dominating the toughest division in the promotion. He does have the wrestling skills, work ethic, and intangibles to go up two weight divisions and at least be competitive, especially if he fights a striker. Not to mention Makhachev does weigh around 180 pounds when not cutting weight, so gaining that edge won’t be an issue for him. But then again, there are more than ways for Makhachev to skin the triple championship cat.

Islam Makhachev’s various roads to three-division champ status

The most straightforward way Islam Makhachev could become a three-division champ is by fighting for the middleweight title in the near future, waiting for someone to beat Muhammad at welterweight, and fighting the new 170-pound champion for the belt. In addition, there is also another, much more exciting possibility.

Featherweight champ Ilia Topuria has long wanted to fight Makhachev. So if the Dagestani wants, he could also consider moving down to 145bs and win a title there. Then he could go up to either welterweight (if Muhammad is not champion) or to middleweight and win his third UFC title.

But since Makhachev and his team have already said that they do not really want to fight Topuria since it wouldn’t do as much for his legacy as a win at a higher weight class, it does seem unlikely Makhachev goes to featherweight. Unless the UFC wants to make the fight. The Dagestani has clarified that he won’t turn down a fight with Topuria if the UFC offers it to him, it’s just that he personally doesn’t want to do it.

“If I beat him [Topuria], what will that do for me? Everyone will once again say that I beat a featherweight, But if people really want to see him lose, then we can do it,” Makhachev told ‘Match TV’ in an interview late last year.

So for all intents and purposes, the Dagestani is looking to win the welterweight and middleweight title before retiring. What do you think about Islam Makhachev’s comments about wanting to become a three-division champion?