Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has received a major boost in his pursuit of a title shot. A few weeks ago, newly crowned welterweight kingpin Islam Makhachev sparked debate in the MMA world when he requested a fight against the #8-ranked Usman, rather than one of the other top contenders. Many critics viewed this as Makhachev avoiding fresh talent and rising stars, seemingly to protect his long win streak by taking on the 38-year-old Usman, who is past his prime.

At the same time, young and hungry fighters like Ian Garry, Michael Morales, and Carlos Prates have emerged as potential challengers, all coming off recent victories. Nevertheless, Islam Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently confirmed on X, “Usman is next, everyone,” shutting down other possibilities. The announcement drew criticism online, but Merab Dvalishvili has stepped in to support Kamaru Usman, endorsing him as Makhachev’s next opponent.

“Big fan” Merab Dvalishvili throws support behind Kamaru Usman vs Islam Makhachev

Merab Dvalishvili, ahead of his fourth title defense of the year at UFC 323, sat down with Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman for a chat. The ‘Machine’ is currently preparing to defend his title against Petr Yan in a rematch, but before that, Dvalishvili took a moment to show his respect for Usman. “Thank you for having me. And Kamaru, I watch almost every interview of yours, and you always give me some shout-outs and respect.”

Merab Dvalishvili is now just one fight away from matching Usman’s impressive 15-fight win streak. Although ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is past his prime, he was once a formidable force in the Octagon, remaining undefeated from December 2013 to August 19, 2022—until ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ met Leon Edwards in their rematch.

With genuine admiration, Merab Dvalishvili positioned Kamaru Usman as his top choice for the next title shot on the ‘Pound for Pound Podcast. “Thank you so much. I’ve always been a big fan of yours, and much respect for what you’ve done for our sport,” ‘The Machine’ added. “I know you can do it and become champion again. Let’s go!”

At the same time, Kamaru Usman has already signaled his willingness to fight Islam Makhachev, a matchup widely regarded as a scary challenge. He considers Makhachev his most “competitive” opponent, even though the bout has not received official confirmation. Meanwhile, Shavkat Rakhmonov has stepped up as a contender for Usman’s “prove it” fight, despite Jack Della Maddalena holding the No. 1 contender spot.

Shavkat Rakhmonov ready for Kamaru Usman clash, aiming for spring comeback

Since entering the UFC, undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov has carried the label of “future champion.” However, that moment has yet to arrive, even after more than five years in the promotion. With only seven fights under his belt, periods of inactivity have slowed his rise, while injuries have challenged him along the way.

Following his win against Ian Garry last year, ‘The Nomad’ spent months rehabbing a torn meniscus and ACL. Despite these setbacks, he currently holds the No. 3 contender spot. Many see him as a potential kryptonite for Islam Makhachev, yet his inactivity makes an immediate title shot unlikely.

If given the choice, Shavkat Rakhmonov would choose former pound-for-pound kingpin Kamaru Usman as his opponent. “The most intriguing fight for me is Kamaru Usman, but I don’t believe he’s going to accept the fight against me. He’s been turning down fights against me in the past,” Rakhmonov told Ariel Helwani. “It really doesn’t matter. There are a lot of good options. Just give me the date and opponent in advance, and make sure it’s a No. 1 contender fight.”

At the moment, Rakhmonov says he is now “good and healthy” and plans to return at the end of February or, more likely, in March. However, the promotion has not officially confirmed the future of the welterweight division, as nearly every top-five fighter is positioning themselves for a title shot.

So, who do you think will be the next decisive opponent for Islam Makhachev? Drop your opinion below.