Islam Makhachev open to middleweight title fight with Dricus du Plessis, says Alex Pereira is ‘too much’

Islam Makhachev wants a second title, and he’s willing to go to extreme measures to get it.

On Saturday, Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title with a first-round submission over Renato Moicano in the UFC 311 main event. The win was Makhachev’s fourth lightweight title defense, breaking the UFC record, and solidified his position as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. It also reinforced the idea that it might be time for Makhachev to move up and pursue a second title, and while he’s not forcing the issue at the moment, the lightweight champion says that is something he absolutely wants to do.

“I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but I told them I’m not [going to] leave this sport without second belt,” Makhachev said in his UFC 311 post-fight press conference. “I need the second belt to be, and after I’ll talk like ‘I’m the greatest’ or something. But right now, my goal is to be double champion. I don’t know if it’s going to be next fight or when, [but] I’m still fighting, still winning. I defend my belt how many times the UFC wants, I will defend. When they give me chance, I want to be double champion.”

Given his impressive accomplishments, few would begrudge Makhachev getting a crack at double champ status, however, there’s a problem: who he would have to fight at 170 pounds. Makhachev is an occasional teammate and training partner of current welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, and the two have already declared they’re not interested in fighting each other. On top of that, presumptive No. 1 contender Shavkat Rakhmonov also has some history with Makhachev’s team, which may also make that potential matchup less appealing.

Fortunately, Makhachev has a solution.

“I can be three-division also,” Makhachev said of his title aspirations. “Just give me the chance, that’s it. I will fight with [Dricus] du Plessis. If they give me the chance, I will fight with him also. I swear, if Dana White sends me contract, I will fight with him also.”

Du Plessis defends his middleweight title in a rematch with Sean Strickland next month at UFC 312, and the winner of that fight is expected to face Khamzat Chimaev next. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for Makhachev to sneak in a title fight, and though the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world is obviously confident in his abilities, he’s not willing to say he can go up any further than 185 pounds.

“No, it’s too much [laughs],” Makhachev said when asked about facing light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. “I need the [Daniel Cormier] diet program to be 200 pounds [laughs].”

All things considered, it seems like Makhachev is likely to stick around 155 pounds, at least for the time being. And while he was originally supposed to rematch Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 until an injury forced Tsarukyan out, that bout no longer appears to be on the table. UFC CEO Dana White said Tsarukyan would need to fight agains before earning a title shot, meaning the door is open for who Makhachev may face next, and the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world isn’t picky.

“Not my business,” Makhachev said. “I am the fighter. Just send me contract, that’s it. I some new target, I need some job. I want to be busy.”