One of the things Islam Makhachev does better than anybody in fighting is to smash glass slippers and roll around in the shards.
Renato Moicano was enjoying a beautiful moment in a game he’s never ruled heading into UFC 311, and for a 24-hour period Moicano collected as many accolades as he could before stepping in for the injured Arman Tsarukyan to face Makhachev. What a story it made for the 35-year-old veteran to get his chance out of the blue. What a story it would have made if he won the lightweight title against all odds.
Yet we all know Cinderella has no place in MMA. Makhachev took Moicano out late in the first round in the sparkling new Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, in what almost felt like a ritualistic slaughter. A D’Arce choke that made him tap in a panic, and a sequence that will play on a loop in his mind for a long, long time. We kind of knew what was coming beforehand, which is a polite way of saying we knew exactly what was coming.
Because we’d seen it before.
We saw it with Dustin Poirier, who had — like Moicano — upset Benoit Saint Denis and emerged as one of the feel-good stories of 2024. Poirier was enjoying the kind of renaissance you almost never see in the UFC, and his reluctance to go gently into that good night was inspiring. The narratives before UFC 302 were poetic from just about any angle. But when he stepped in with Makhachev, that particular daydream got dark in a hurry. He lasted until the fifth round, but he was being overwhelmed from the opening moments. Succumbing, minute by brutal minute. Until he tapped.
There would be no feel-good end to Poirier’s story.
Alexander Volkanovski? The first fight may have been competitive enough, but the second fight was a cold reminder of the kind of tyranny we’re dealing in. Volk never recovered. Islam’s been so good that even Jon Jones’ most loyal fan, Dana White, acknowledged after UFC 311 that Islam is the undeniable pound-for-pound king. Beating Moicano was enough to leapfrog the GOAT, Jonny “Bones” Jones, in the most hypothetical rankings.
All week long people argued over how Makhachev stacked up against his coach and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Would Islam surpass him as the lightweight GOAT with a fourth title defense, when Khabib only had three? Would Islam’s strength of schedule tip him over the line? The shame of it is that Tsarukyan, who has won nine of 10 fights, was a key piece in the discussion. He presented enough of a challenge stylistically to strengthen Makhachev’s case.
Yet the cold ease with which Makhachev disposed of Moicano on Saturday night speaks for itself. And if Makhachev really has emerged as the lightweight GOAT and the current pound-for-pound king, you’d love to see him fight somebody who is not arriving in glass slippers. Somebody who casts doubt over the title reign in the way Umar Nurmagomedov did for Merab Dvalishvili at bantamweight, or how Magomed Ankalaev will for his challenge of Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight crown.
If Makhachev really has emerged as the lightweight GOAT and the current pound-for-pound king, you’d love to see him fight somebody who is not arriving in glass slippers.
And right now, outside of Tsarukyan — whom White said will need to get back in line after making him scramble — there aren’t a lot of names that pop out at lightweight. Makhachev already beat Charles Oliveira to win the title in the first place. Dan Hooker, though revitalized, is a little far down the pecking order. Besides, that fight doesn’t move the needle. Justin Gaethje is a tempest who matchmakers love but doesn’t feel like the right call (especially coming off that knockout loss to Holloway). Holloway is coming off a loss to Topuria.
Which leads to … Topuria.
Another featherweight champion itching to test himself at 155 pounds, who perhaps makes for the most compelling of available possibilities. With Belal Muhammad seemingly locked into a title fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov for the welterweight title, challenging for a second belt might not be an immediate option for Makhachev. But Topuria coming up is the kind of momentum clash that Islam could use, the 2024 Fighter of the Year who took out the two best featherweights in the world — Volkanovski and Holloway — like it was no big thing.
Topuria is in a similar situation as Makhachev. Having already beaten the best, who is there? Diego Lopes is expected to fight Yair Rodriguez next on March 29 in Mexico City, and Movsar Evloev … well, the UFC can’t seem to find a comfortable seat on that bandwagon. The timing would make sense if UFC wants to grant Topuria his wish to try to join the two-division champion club.
Right after Makhachev had the belt wrapped back around his waist Topuria posted on social media, “Islam, if I want to, I can finish you. If I want to, I can knock you out. I’ll make it look easy. See you soon.” And he accompanied that text with a little winky emoji. Poking the bear right before Ramadan hibernation.
Delusional? Maybe. But see, that’s what makes it fun. Topuria sees a chance at history, while Makhachev is where delusions go to die.
