Latest news with #UFC315
Evening Standard
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Evening Standard
UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira start time, schedule, fight card, how to watch and latest odds today
He has now gone up to the 155-pound division, where he will aim to clinch a belt that has been vacant since the formidable Islam Makhachev relinquished it last month for a move up to welterweight and an attempt at his own two-weight champion status, pursuing a shot at new 170-pound champion Jack Della Maddalena, who outpointed Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in Montreal in May.
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Islam Makhachev admits improved Jack Della Maddalena is 'going to be a hard fight'
Islam Makhachev not taking UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena lightly. Standing in Makhachev's pursuit of a second UFC belt is Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC), who outstruck Belal Muhammad to claim the welterweight title at UFC 315 last month. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) acknowledges the Aussie has shown vast improvements in his game. "It's going to be a hard fight. Honestly, it's going to be," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "I saw his fight against Belal. He's good, man. When he began fighting in the UFC, he had problems with wrestling, but now he's improved because I've seen him training a lot with wrestlers and grapplers, and that's why he's champion right now. He's good everywhere. But we will see who's the best fighter in the world very soon." Makhachev was surprised to see Della Maddalena dethrone Muhammad, who he's trained with before on numerous occasions. He was also confused by Muhammad's game plan. "It was crazy," Makhachev said. "I know Belal well. I was training with him many times, and I know his skills. I was surprised how he fought. I was surprised by his fight plan. I think he did mistakes. He had the option, but he didn't use (it). He started to wrestle in the last round, maybe. "You have to wrestle from the first round if you have plan to wrestle because you can make him tired – you're not sweating. I saw: Maddalena has improved a lot because he has really good boxing, and he knows everybody is going to try to take him down, and now he has good defense." Many viewed Makhachev as a big lightweight, but the move up to welterweight hasn't been as seamless as expected. "I will try to be big, but it's not easy," Makhachev said. "All my life, I've been cutting weight, but now when I want to be big, my weight stays in the same position. I try to lift more. We do some program and slowly, slowly we bring maybe two kilograms now. It's very hard, but I don't want to be big by eating and not training. I want to be with muscles. I want to train, do right lifting program, and bring some muscles."
Evening Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Evening Standard
UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira start time, schedule, fight card, how to watch and latest odds
He has now gone up to the 155-pound division, where he will aim to clinch a belt that has been vacant since the formidable Islam Makhachev relinquished it last month for a move up to welterweight and an attempt at his own two-weight champion status, pursuing a shot at new 170-pound champion Jack Della Maddalena, who outpointed Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in Montreal in May.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Islam Makhachev explains giving up UFC title to chase welterweight 'dream'
Islam Makhachev admits he would've like simultaneous two-division UFC champion status but understand why the promotion wanted him to give up the lightweight belt. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will see his 155-pound title run officially come to an end Saturday at UFC 317 in Las Vegas when Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira meet for the vacant strap in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). Advertisement The idea of Makhachev moving up to welterweight started to grow in strength prior to May's UFC 315 event, when UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that if Belal Muhammad defended the belt, Makhachev would be fighting Topuria this weekend, but if Jack Della Maddalena captured gold, as he did by unanimous decision, Makhachev would move up to face him. Just a few days after Della Maddalena' win, White announced Makhachev would be moving up to face him, but would be vacating the lightweight belt he defended a record four consecutive times. Makhachev said this possibility truly first came into the fold after UFC 311 in January when Hunter Campbell entered his locked room. "Right now it's the best time," Makhachev told MMA Junkie in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. "I was waiting for (Arman) Tsarukyan because he also has very good win-streak and people were waiting for this fight. He pulled out of the last fight and I don't see any interesting fights in my division. That's why we made the decision to move up because they have new champion, a good fighter in Jack Della Maddalena and this fight makes me train every day and wake up early morning." Advertisement In the midst of the days leading up to UFC 315, photos of UFC Chief Business Officer Campbell emerged from him visiting Makhachev's native Dagestan. It was widely believed that trip was made in effort to have Makhachev fight Topuria, but that was not the case. "Everybody think he comes to make a fight with Topuria, but he was here and we talked about fighting against whoever the winner is between Della Maddalena and Belal. He told me, 'I know Belal is your friend, but this is a sport. Shake hands, fight, after the fight it's respect and that's it. See who is the best in the world.' We had a big discussion about that," Makhachev said. "I told him, 'Let's wait for the fight when Belal fight with Della Maddalena and we will see what we have to do.' Right after the fight in Los Angeles, Hunter came to my locker room and told me, 'Now is the good time, any day when you want to move up you have the opportunity. Just tell us.'" Makhachev, 33, admitted it would've been his preference to keep the lightweight title and, if only for one night, join Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, Conor McGregor and Henry Cejudo as the only fighters in UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously. That didn't happen, and although it's somewhat disappointing, Makhachev said it would've been unfair to the division to keep the belt hostage with no clear defense timeline. "I want to hold my belt from the lightweight, but it's not possible because if I fight with Della Maddalena in October or November," Makhachev said. "Then in February Ramadan is beginning, holding more than one year of the lightweight belt (without defending) is not what I want to do. It's not respectful to all those." Advertisement Makhachev said he he hopes his 170-pound title fight against Della Maddalena is booked for UFC's annual event in Madison Square Garden in November, which is a venue he has long wanted to compete at. It's the current plan to capture the belt and defend it to even further enhance his legacy, but Makhachev said a return to lightweight to take back what was once his is something he will not rule out. "Maybe (I'll return to lightweight)," Makhachev said. "We will see. If something interesting comes up, we will see. I don't say no because maybe. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Islam Makhachev explains giving up UFC title to chase 'dream'
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Islam Makhachev explains giving up UFC title to chase welterweight 'dream'
Islam Makhachev admits he would've like simultaneous two-division UFC champion status but understand why the promotion wanted him to give up the lightweight belt. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will see his 155-pound title run officially come to an end Saturday at UFC 317 in Las Vegas when Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira meet for the vacant strap in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). The idea of Makhachev moving up to welterweight started to grow in strength prior to May's UFC 315 event, when UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that if Belal Muhammad defended the belt, Makhachev would be fighting Topuria this weekend, but if Jack Della Maddalena captured gold, as he did by unanimous decision, Makhachev would move up to face him. Just a few days after Della Maddalena' win, White announced Makhachev would be moving up to face him, but would be vacating the lightweight belt he defended a record four consecutive times. Makhachev said this possibility truly first came into the fold after UFC 311 in January when Hunter Campbell entered his locked room. "Right now it's the best time," Makhachev told MMA Junkie in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. "I was waiting for (Arman) Tsarukyan because he also has very good win-streak and people were waiting for this fight. He pulled out of the last fight and I don't see any interesting fights in my division. That's why we made the decision to move up because they have new champion, a good fighter in Jack Della Maddalena and this fight makes me train every day and wake up early morning." In the midst of the days leading up to UFC 315, photos of UFC Chief Business Officer Campbell emerged from him visiting Makhachev's native Dagestan. It was widely believed that trip was made in effort to have Makhachev fight Topuria, but that was not the case. "Everybody think he comes to make a fight with Topuria, but he was here and we talked about fighting against whoever the winner is between Della Maddalena and Belal. He told me, 'I know Belal is your friend, but this is a sport. Shake hands, fight, after the fight it's respect and that's it. See who is the best in the world.' We had a big discussion about that," Makhachev said. "I told him, 'Let's wait for the fight when Belal fight with Della Maddalena and we will see what we have to do.' Right after the fight in Los Angeles, Hunter came to my locker room and told me, 'Now is the good time, any day when you want to move up you have the opportunity. Just tell us.'" Makhachev, 33, admitted it would've been his preference to keep the lightweight title and, if only for one night, join Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, Conor McGregor and Henry Cejudo as the only fighters in UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously. That didn't happen, and although it's somewhat disappointing, Makhachev said it would've been unfair to the division to keep the belt hostage with no clear defense timeline. "I want to hold my belt from the lightweight, but it's not possible because if I fight with Della Maddalena in October or November," Makhachev said. "Then in February Ramadan is beginning, holding more than one year of the lightweight belt (without defending) is not what I want to do. It's not respectful to all those." Makhachev said he he hopes his 170-pound title fight against Della Maddalena is booked for UFC's annual event in Madison Square Garden in November, which is a venue he has long wanted to compete at. It's the current plan to capture the belt and defend it to even further enhance his legacy, but Makhachev said a return to lightweight to take back what was once his is something he will not rule out. "Maybe (I'll return to lightweight)," Makhachev said. "We will see. If something interesting comes up, we will see. I don't say no because maybe.
