Daniel Cormier isn’t ready to let go of Islam Makhachev and neither are the fans.
The former UFC double champion and current commentator is raising eyebrows over recent talk that Makhachev may walk away from MMA sooner than expected. The news came from the lightweight champ’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, who revealed that Islam might only have three fights left before calling it a career.
“Islam only has three fights. Why? Why? It’s scary to me,” Cormier said. “Because I know, knowing these guys, if he says, ‘I’ve got three,’ and he stands at he has three the only saving grace right now is someone is saying it for him and he has not said that himself. If Islam comes out and tells us, ‘I’ve got three fights left,’ we should all go, ‘Man, we’ve got to lock in.’ Because you know that it’s a special time. It’s a special reign that Islam has created at 155.”
Makhachev has already dominated the UFC’s lightweight division, defending the title four times. Now, he’s on his way to the welterweight division, chasing legacy and a second world title. A potential matchup with Jack Della Maddalena is on the horizon. But with Mendez’s comments looming, every future bout now carries added weight.
“Javier Mendez also said that Islam Makhachev might have three fights, including Jack Della Maddalena. That, right there, is where our energy should be spent as Islam fans,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.
Makhachev, still officially the lightweight champion, is expected to vacate the belt ahead of UFC 317 when Ilia Topuria faces Charles Oliveira. That move will signal a full shift to welterweight. And as all these changes unfold, Cormier can’t help but reflect on how quickly dominant champions are choosing to step away.
“I think we are in a time right now in fighting that, for me as a fan, is very sad,” Cormier said. “I don’t believe for a second though, that it’s going to change. I think there will be new guys that will ultimately step right in line with where those guys leave, the Michael Chandlers, the Justin Gaethjes, the Charles Oliveiras. There will always be another guy. But when they all start to walk away, it’s sad for the fan. Especially the new fan that made his way into MMA based on what those guys did for so long in that division.”
As someone who trained alongside Makhachev at American Kickboxing Academy, Cormier understands how serious these retirement hints can be. When fighters like Makhachev or Khabib say they’re done, they usually mean it.
“Why? Why, when you’re in your mid-thirties, are you looking to walk away from the game that you are dominating? We saw Khabib do it and he never looked back. … That should be worrisome to us as MMA fans. We have so many more fights that we want these guys to fight. We want to see him against Jack Della, we want to see him against [Kamaru] Usman, and we want to see him against Ilia Topuria. That is how short a window we are talking about if this man is to walk away after three more fights. It’s crazy.”
As Cormier questions Makhachev’s reason for considering retirement, one thing is clear this chapter of MMA is fleeting.
