UFC ace Chandler slams title hopeful Makhachev
Islam Makhachev will have to wait his turn for a shot at the UFC lightweight title despite winning ten straight fights in the division, according to rival Michael Chandler.
Makhachev, a longtime training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov, has been near-faultless in his UFC career and has been singled out by many as the man to assume Nurmagomedov's status atop the throne at 155lbs.
The Russian was slated to take on what would, on paper at least, have been his toughest test to date against the Iranian-American Beneil Dariush in Las Vegas last month.
An ankle injury suffered by Dariush a week before the scheduled bout forced him out and prompted UFC officials to scramble to find another opponent.
They eventually settled on American veteran Bobby Green, who had fought and won in the UFC just two weeks earlier.
There was no repeat of that result for Green as Makhachev blitzed him early to win by first-round TKO.
But if the Dagestan native's legions of fans thought that might be enoguh to secure his long-awaited crack at the gold, former Bellator champion and Chandler has told them to think again.
“It’s a tough one, man. People talk about win streaks – obviously the man is on a win streak," said Chandler, who unsuccessfully challenged current UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for his title at UFC 262 in May 2021.
"He’s looking extremely dominant. We have a common opponent: he beat Dan Hooker in the first round, just like I did.
"So that was the first time that he really stepped into the lightweight division inside the top 10 and staked his claim as one of the guys who will be completing for the title in the future."
But as Chandler elaborated, any world title fight shouldn't come quite yet.
“Beating Bobby Green shouldn’t get you a title shot," Chandler added. “His win streak has consisted of everybody outside of the top 10 aside from Dan Hooker.
"So I do think him and Beneil Dariush need to fight. I think it’s a great match-up; their strong suits compliment each other very well – they’re both grapplers.
“I think the UFC is the best promotion on the planet. They know what they’re doing, they know how to put together great fights. I think Islam needs to continue to cut his teeth inside the top of the lightweight division.”
Oliveira is set to defend his crown against Justin Gaethje in the headline fight of UFC 274 in Arizona on May 7.
Chandler could fight perennial contender Tony Ferguson on the same night, according to a report.
Together with former champion Conor McGregor's impending return from injury, the bouts should provide a bit more clarity at the summit of the shark-tank UFC lightweight division.
Makhachev, who seems likely to renew his rivalry with Dariush this summer in their rescheduled bout, appears in danger of being lost in the mix and becoming the odd man out when it comes to chasing the gold – despite his sole defeat in the cage coming almost seven years ago against Adriano Martins at UFC 192.
