Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria had all the makings of a massive showdown, bad blood, buzz, and a storyline fans could get behind. But after Jack Della Maddalena beat Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, Makhachev pulled a curveball. He dropped the lightweight strap and went after welterweight gold instead. That move? Yeah, it didn’t land well. Accusations of ducking started flying, and Chael Sonnen, never one to hold back throwing criticism at the soon-to-former lightweight champ for dodging the fight everyone wanted.

‘The American Gangster’ has always praised Makhachev as one of the best champions, but even he believes the Dagestani juggernaut dodged the superfight with Ilia Topuria. In his YouTube video, Chael Sonnen claimed, “Islam did everything you could do to avoid that fight… including leave the division, including leave the championship.” Despite saying he likes Makhachev, Sonnen didn’t pull any punches, and his words stirred the pot. The 155 lbs champ also didn’t take it lightly and fired back with full force.

Makhachev clapped back with a scorching post on X, calling Chael Sonnen an average athlete and taking a shot at his lack of UFC championship success. He wrote, “Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport. But an average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that. So, please sit and watch how others do it, Uncle Chael. #doublechamp.” Many thought the heat would fade, but ‘The Bad Guy’ later revealed he was contacted by Dominance MMA founder and Islam’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, giving the beef an unexpected twist.

Chael Sonnen, in his YouTube video, revealed: “I get a phone call from Ali. I have been friends with him for 20 years, and he’s not happy! He said to me, ‘My brother, I respect you. We’re friends but!’ And he begins to defend Islam and Islam’s decision to go up to 170 pounds. And, I don’t argue with him. Because I’m well aware of the decision. I’m well aware of what went into it.”

Well, ‘The Bad Guy’ didn’t reveal much about what Ali Abdelaziz said in Islam’s defense, but he did mention one key detail. According to Sonnen, the lightweight champ’s move up to welterweight was driven by weight-cutting issues, something not too different from what Ilia Topuria’s reason for leaving the featherweight division and moving up. 

He added, I’m well aware that Islam doesn’t have a problem with Ilia Topuria. He’s got a problem with 155 lbs. That’s the problem! This isn’t about champ-champ. This is about I don’t wanna beat the scale anymore. That’s the same thing that Ilia had. Ilia didn’t have a problem with somebody at 145 lbs. He had a problem beating the scale.”

That shed a little light on this burning issue. ‘El Matador’ moved up from featherweight due to tough weight cuts, he nearly broke down during his title fight at UFC 298. So, it wasn’t the competition that drove him out. Similarly, while Makhachev’s weight cut struggles were known, the UFC insider revealing it as a reason behind his move adds a new twist to the Dagestani champ’s decision to vacate the belt. 

Still, one thing’s pretty clear, we’re likely getting that welterweight superfight sometime this year, and the breakdowns have already begun. Charles Oliveira, for one, believes his former rival has what it takes to be a serious threat against Jack Della Maddalena. 

Charles Oliveira believes Islam Makhachev is stronger than Jack Della Maddalena

Charles Oliveira is gearing up to face Ilia Topuria for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317 during International Fight Week. Training looks intense, with ‘Do Bronx’ drilling head kicks to counter ‘El Matador.’ Still, he’s keeping an eye on Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena, which he thinks could get interesting on the ground. 

Home of Fight shared a clip from Oliveira’s Full-Violence interview, where he said: Now he’s going to be much stronger. It’s a game where you just have to grab him and put him down. I think Jack Della Maddalena is going to do the same fight he did now against Belal, hitting, moving, getting out, hurting, it’s a fight. But if [JDM] let Islam grab him and put him down, it’s over.”

Makhachev definitely brings some of the most devastating grappling in the game, far more dynamic than Belal Muhammad’s style. He blends disciplines like judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into a complete, suffocating package. Add to that his sharp, underrated striking, and you’ve got a serious problem for anyone standing across from him. So yeah, ‘Do Bronx’ might be right on the money with his assessment.

That said, how do you see Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena playing out if it happens? Both are the most highly skilled athletes in the UFC and capable of flipping the script at any moment. So, drop your thoughts in the comments below!