Islamic Makhachev is returning from vacation to begin training for a fight that was “leaked” by Khabib Nurmagomedov. During a Saturday Q&A in New York, Nurmagomedov revealed that Makhachev will headline an event at Madison Square Garden later this year. The plan is for Makhachev to forfeit the lightweight title so Ilia Topuria can compete for the vacant belt against Charles Oliveira, after which Makhachev will aim for the Welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena.
This upcoming fight was subtly announced by Nurmagomedov and is expected to take place in October. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov’s cousin, Usman, will have a rematch with Paul Hughes as the PFL returns to Dubai. Recently, Makhachev posted on Instagram about the last moments of his holiday, including horseback riding with teammates, signaling the end of his relaxation period.
The caption, translated by Instagram, indicated that Makhachev would start training soon, allowing nearly three months to prepare for his bout with Della Maddalena. The leak by Nurmagomedov mentioned in New York highlights that Makhachev faces a challenge with gaining weight for his welterweight debut, having always found it easier to make the 155-pound lightweight limit. Makhachev shared earlier that his body struggles to gain size, despite his efforts with food and training, making the move to 170 pounds tougher than anticipated.
Fan Take: This news is huge for fight fans as it signals a major shift in Makhachev’s career, moving up to welterweight and potentially shaking up the division. Fans should be excited to see how his skill set translates at a higher weight class, which could redefine the landscape of UFC titles.
