TLDR
- Islam Makhachev moved up to welterweight last month and defeated Jack Della Maddalena to win the 170-pound title
- Former champion Kamaru Usman is campaigning for a title shot, citing his status as a former pound-for-pound fighter
- Ian Machado Garry recently defeated former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar and holds a win over Carlos Prates
- Sports journalist Ariel Helwani argues Garry deserves the title shot based on activity, having fought three times in the past year
- Usman has won only one of his last four fights since 2022, while other contenders like Carlos Prates and Michael Morales are also in the mix
Debate Heats Up Over Islam Makhachev’s First Welterweight Title Defense
A debate is building over who should challenge Islam Makhachev for the welterweight championship. Last month, Makhachev moved up from lightweight to 170 pounds and defeated Jack Della Maddalena to claim the belt. The victory created immediate competition among several contenders hoping to face him next.
Kamaru Usman, the former welterweight champion, is making a public case for why he deserves the first title shot. Speaking on the Pound-4-Pound podcast, Usman argued that a fight between him and Makhachev would be the biggest option available. “If the company says, ‘We want to book the biggest fight right now in that division,’ it’s hands down, I think we know what the answer is,” Usman said.
Both Makhachev and their shared manager Ali Abdelaziz have supported this matchup. Usman framed it as a battle between two fighters who have held the top pound-for-pound ranking. He also acknowledged other contenders in the division, praising Carlos Prates for his recent performances and willingness to compete.
Usman mentioned Michael Morales as another impressive fighter in the welterweight division. However, he dismissed Ian Machado Garry from serious consideration. “Ian’s doing work, too, but you can’t literally sit here and say he’s done more work than what Prates has done,” Usman stated.
Garry’s Recent Performance
Garry currently sits at number two in the UFC welterweight rankings. A few weeks ago, he defeated former champion Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC Qatar. Garry also holds a win over Prates from earlier this year.
Sports journalist Ariel Helwani presented a different view on the title picture. Helwani argues that Garry, not Usman, should receive the next title shot. He pointed to Garry’s recent activity and performances as key factors in this assessment.
The Case Against Usman
Helwani emphasized that Usman has won only one of his last four fights since 2022. This record contrasts sharply with Garry’s momentum in the division. Garry has fought three times in the past year, winning two of those contests.
The win over Muhammad carries particular weight since Muhammad was the reigning champion before Makhachev’s move to welterweight. Garry took that fight on short notice. Helwani criticized recent callouts that favor Usman over Garry despite the activity gap between the two fighters.
The UFC is planning a championship fight for Makhachev in January 2026. Other names in the conversation include Prates and Morales, who have impressed with recent performances. Shavkat Rakhmonov remains another option for the promotion to consider.
The UFC will need to weigh Garry’s recent victories against Usman’s historical status in the division. Garry defeated both a former champion in Muhammad and Prates, who Usman himself praised as deserving.
