Overview
- Fresh off a dominant UFC 322 win over Jack Della Maddalena, Islam Makhachev became a two-division titleholder and tied Anderson Silva’s 16-fight UFC win streak.
- Manager Ali Abdelaziz said Makhachev will stay at welterweight and named Usman as the legacy fight he wants next, and Usman welcomed the matchup.
- Betting markets list Usman as the most likely next opponent, with Michael Morales, Ian Machado Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ilia Topuria and Carlos Prates priced behind.
- Ilia Topuria publicly needled Makhachev and floated moving to meet him, prompting debate over staging any potential bout at lightweight or welterweight; Paddy Pimblett said that uncertainty clouds lightweight plans.
- The UFC issued a lifetime ban to Dillon Danis after a cageside brawl at UFC 322, with full video circulating as Makhachev said Danis must “answer for what he said.”