Islam Makhachev Risking Absolute Big ‘Step Up’ Despite Kamaru Usman Slow Run, Per Former Rival

Current UFC 170Lbs Champ Islam Makhachev is yet to make his first defense of the gold. Since winning his new title at UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev last month, Makhachev was approached about a title defense fight in January. The UFC Welterweight class is packed right now and he might have to cut through a tough cookie or two. Yet, he has Kamaru Usman in mind, and some think that’d be the toughest cookie in the class.

After UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev, Islam Makhachev made history as the 11th double-weight champ and has wanted to keep his bloated legacy alive. The yet undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov has been pegged and packed as the logical choice for a big, bloated fight at welterweight. 19-0 MMA, and 7-0 UFC, ‘Nomad’ is a prolific finisher with a solid 6’1″ frame.

Team Islam Makhachev has also dubbed him an interesting matchup. Meanwhile, Ian Garry, who accepted a quick fight with the dangerous Rakhmonov and gave him a closely contested fight, defeated former champ and Makhachev’s friend Belal Muhammad at UFC Fight Night 265 – aka UFC Qatar. #3 in the rankings just below, Garry too has been calling his shots.

Makhachev has, however, hinted that he’s keen on a legacy name like Kamaru Usman. Former Usman foe Jorge Masvidal, during a recent deliberation on his Death Row MMA podcast, billed that ‘that’ fight could prove Makhachev’s toughest.

I think, this is the most dangerous fight for Makhachev at 170, man..[Like] No doubt about it – that’s a big step up in competition – I think – from JDM. [JDM’s] wrestling defense isn’t bad either, he’s a good scrambler and stuff but he’s not on Usman’s level – with his defensive prowess. I think this is one of the toughest fights for Makhachev right now. I don’t know if they’re going to want to take that one.

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21-4-0 and a true veteran, Usman is a former #1 Pound-for-pound and divisional king in the weight class. In his heyday, Usman went on a serious 15-fight winning streak, with 6 title fights [5-0 defense]. Even UFC CEO Dana White has stamped the Welterweight ‘GOAT’ stamp on ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ to his face. He and Makhachev were once allured to a top P4P battle idea a long time ago if they both held the belts.

But those days are quite behind, and it’s only recently that Usman rebounded from his three-fight losing skid at UFC Fight Night: Usman vs. Buckley. Ali Abdelaziz, who reps both Kamaru Usman and the current champ, thinks his legacy alone and snapping his winless streak warrants him a title shot. Many others disagree. ‘Gamebred,’ who Usman defeated twice, just points out the kinks in the chain if the match was actually made.

Joaquin Buckley believes a win over Kamaru Usman should mark the end of Islam Makhachev’s career 😳#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/eKVtJnyLdX

— Sportskeeda MMA (@sportskeedaMMA) December 18, 2025

For one, UFC 322 PPV main event’s defending champ Jack Della Maddalena is a crisp boxer with sufficient anti-wrestling. He was considerably the best top-breed option at the time. But Masvidal points out that Usman’s stiff-knee wrestling, shock power, and overall grappling/anti-grappling are levels above. There’s a reason that much like Makhachev, he was a former P4P king. There’s a reason Makhachev has wanted this title bout for years now. Masvidal references his wrestling as a different kind that the Dagestani has not faced yet.

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Team ONX Sports’ switch stance fighter Kamaru Usman is as GOATed as they come. However, his place in the pecking order has been questionable, given his last win before Joaquin Buckley was 3 years ago. Islam Makhachev is still of the opinion that Usman should be his next opponent, contending that this would be the most challenging legacy fight for him at the moment.

Even Abdelaziz has cited the example of Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic to illustrate why this is such a big legacy fight to determine the best. Usman has been tested far more than the current stack of UFC 170lbs contender pool. However, and rightly so, Belal Muhammad thinks he’s ahead in the pecking order.

Do I think Usman is an easier matchup for him? Of course…The guy’s fought [like] one time in three years and he’s 1-3. I’m still ahead of you, even though I lost my last two fights, I’m still 2-2. You can talk…[whatever] you want, …You turned down a fight, didn’t want to fight before.

Belal Muhammad on his official YT Channel

With a common manager planting seeds of a superfight, ‘Remember The Name’ thinks Usman is in no position to inherit such a matchup. To that end, as a Team Eagles MMA adjunct, he himself has changed tunes on facing close friend Makhachev if need be.

Muhammad struck up a 10-fight streak with veteran names like Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, Sean Brady (his lone TKO feat), and others. He then dominated the standout Leon Edwards (the British Welterweight phenom who won his glory against Usman) to win gold. Even with the recent Garry loss, Muhammad is #5 on the official athletes’ listings.

Belal Muhammad claims Islam Makhachev and his manager are after the easiest matchup vs Kamaru Usman 👀 pic.twitter.com/pvi3TuUssg

— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) December 18, 2025

A longtime rival of Nigerian Nightmare, he also bills Usman has turned down those fights and never banked on rivalries. On that alone, he thinks Kamaru Usman does not merit this fight. In his stead, or those like Garry or Shavkat, Muhammad has also said Michael Morales deserves his dues next.

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