Former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten thinks Islam Makhachev could be the first fighter to dominate three different divisions inside the Octagon.
After establishing himself as one of, if not the greatest lightweight of all time, the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ opted to vacate his 155-pound crown in a bid to move up and challenge newly minted welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena. But why stop there?
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Rutten spoke about Makhachev’s massive potential in a heavier weight class and whether or not he could be the fighter to become UFC’s only triple champion.
“It’s crazy times, but the guy’s a freaking animal, man,” Rutten said. “A guy like that can be the guy who’s going to say, ‘I want three weight classes.’ These fighters are so tough… I think he’s going to be at this weight even stronger than he’s at the lighter weight.
“I think he can [dominate], but I think Ian Garry, all these guys you just mentioned, they’re really freaking good guys as well. Ian’s got really great ring movement and he knows how to stay away from takedowns. He’s also getting really good on the ground, he’s a great striker… But the only thing that could be a problem is ego. Once you start thinking you got it, that’s when you’re going to walk on a punch or do something by accident.”
‘JDM’ and Islam Makhachev have not lost a fight in nearly 10 years
Of course, Makhachev’s status as a future champ-champ-champ hinges on how he performs against Della Maddalena, a fighter who, like the Dagestani, has not lost a bout in nearly a decade.
With ‘JDM’ going five hard rounds against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, no official date has been announced for his inevitable clash with Makhachev, but the fight is expected to go down in 2025, barring any unforeseen setbacks.
