Islam Makhachev is days away from making UFC history at UFC 322 against welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena. With a win this weekend, Makhachev would become the latest two-division UFC champion and add to his legendary resume.
Makhachev bulked up before UFC 322 as he prepared to make his full-time move up to 170 lbs. Some wonder if longtime lightweight Makhachev will not only make the welterweight move with great results, but also challenge Maddalena and the other mainstays of the division.
Makhachev’s former rival rejects that theory.
Dustin Poirier warns Islam Makhachev not to challenge Jack Della Maddalena’s boxing
In a recent interview with MMA fightingDustin Poirier previewed the UFC 322 headliner.
“But it’s going to come down to his ability to get takedowns and stop JDM. If JDM can get back up and scramble again and again, I think he’s going to give Islam a lot of problems with boxing exchanges,” Poirier said.
“Often we think of a lightweight moving up to welterweight – it’s a 15-pound weight difference. But Islam is not a small man. He’s not small. I don’t know, maybe he’s 6-foot-4,” and he’s big. He’s a big guy. It’s not like he has to spend years building muscle mass to make this jump to the next weight class. He is a man who is keeping his body from naturally bulking up the way he wants so he can compete in the lightweight division.
“He’s going to fill this weight class, and he’s not going to look like a lightweight moving up to welterweight. He’s going to look like a solid welterweight in a title fight.”
Makhachev defeated Poirier by submission in their UFC 302 title fight. Poirier retired earlier this year after a loss to Max Holloway at UFC 318.
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