Islam Makhachev, the UFC welterweight champion, recently defended Arman Tsarukyan after Dana White’s remarks last Saturday. Ilya Topuria, who claimed the vacant lightweight title earlier this year following Makhachev’s reign, has stepped away from fighting to focus on personal issues. This led the UFC to arrange an interim lightweight title bout, sparking disappointment among fans who expected the top contender Tsarukyan to be included, yet he was overlooked.
Instead, the interim championship fight is set between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje, a matchup Makhachev criticized as poor matchmaking during a Red Corner MMA interview. Despite Tsarukyan’s impressive win over Dan Hooker, he seems penalized for withdrawing from a previous title fight against Makhachev. Dana White, in the UFC 323 post-fight press conference, stated Tsarukyan still needs to earn his way to the title fight.
Makhachev, however, feels Tsarukyan is unfairly treated and supports him despite past rivalries. He expressed confusion over the UFC’s matchmaking, believing Tsarukyan deserves a title shot and lamented the choice of Pimblett vs. Gaethje for the interim title, which could delay Tsarukyan’s title chances for another year. Makhachev also empathizes with Tsarukyan’s wait, recalling his own career path where he won 10 straight before fighting for the title.
To stay active, Tsarukyan is set to face UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov in a grappling match on December 30th in Yerevan, Armenia.
Interestingly, Makhachev’s critique of the matchmaking came after he had already selected his next opponent. Despite criticism from fans for this choice, Makhachev wants to face former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman next, even though Usman has lost three of his last four fights. The 34-year-old champion reiterated his desire for this fight, explaining his reasons recently.
Fan Take: This situation highlights the complexities and controversies in UFC matchmaking and contender recognition, underscoring how decisions inside the promotion impact fighters’ careers and fan expectations. For fight enthusiasts, it signals potential shifts in title contention dynamics and keeps the lightweight division’s storyline intriguing.
