Russian star, Islam Makhachev will officially vacate his lightweight championship at the end of next month as per UFC CEO, Dana White, who has revealed the pound-for-pound number one is set for a welterweight division move in search of a fight with the newly-minted, Jack Della Maddalena.
Makhachev, who still retains the lightweight crown at the time of publication, will see his championship vacated once the opening buzzer for next month’s UFC 317 headliner sounds in ‘Sin City’.
And vying for the vacant belt is former champion and prior-foe, Charles Oliveira, who returns in a showdown with the unbeaten former featherweight kingpin, Ilia Topuria.
Islam Makhachev set to vacate lightweight throne
As per the above-mentioned, White on social media tonight, American Kickboxing Academy star, Islam Makhachev will vacate the belt, with a view of making a welterweight move to fight the newly-crowned champion, Della Maddalena off the back of his impressive title ascension against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 over the course of last weekend.
“Current lightweight champion, Islam Makachev, is going to move up to the welterweight division to face Jack Della Maddalena,” White said on an Instagram Live stream. “UFC 317 International Fight Week, June 28th. You all know Ilia Topuria, undefeated, 16-0, vacated his featherweight title and now he’s moving up to lightweight and he will face former lightweight champion and number two ranked Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title.
Dana White just announced Islam Makhachev has vacated the lightweight belt
Ilia Topuria will fight Charles Oliveira for the vacant title at UFC 317 on June 28th
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Ultimately making his final lightweight title defense at the beginning of the year, Islam Makhachev became the most prolific lightweight champion in the history of the promotion with a dominant first round D’Arce choke submission win over short-notice opponent, Renato Moicano.
Off the back of the above-mentioned, Della Maddalena’s title win over training partner and friend, Muhammad last weekend in Quebec, lightweight star, Makhachev immediately confirmed his plans to pursue a welterweight move with a view to becoming a two-division champion in the Octagon.
