The UFC lightweight title picture has had an unlucky spanner thrown into its works as champion Islam Makhachev recovers from injury, and talks of an interim title fight proceed.
Following his fifth-round submission win over Dustin Poirier back at UFC 302, there was an expectation that lightweight champion Islam Makhachev would return in October to headline the Abu Dhabi PPV – now, just two months later, there are talks of an interim title being put up for grabs.
With Makhachev out with injury, talks of an interim title proceed
Islam Makhachev’s plans to secure two UFC title fight wins in 2024 have frustratingly been placed on hold after revealing that he’d suffered a partial ligament tear in his hand in the course of the fight with Poirier.
Unfortunately, for the reason that injury will likely require surgery to correct, Makhachev was forced to confess that he wouldn’t make it back in time to face the rightful primary contender, Arman Tsarukyan, at UFC 308.
Yet as we’ve seen of late within the heavyweight division, the UFC could thoroughly resolve to take a fresh coat of paint to the lightweight title picture; not by stripping Makhachev of his belt, but by putting up an interim title as we await the champ’s recovery.
Given his desire to stay as lively as possible, and to prove that the rematch with Makhachev won’t be as one-sided as many fans predict, Tsarukyan has now stated that he’d be open to fighting for an interim championship.
“Well, I’m the #1 contender, [Islam] says that I only talk, [but] how can an individual talk and be in the highest 1?” he shared via Artem Tarasov MMA and translated via Championship Rounds.
“It seems that I’m not only walking, I’m also doing and proving it with my actions.
“I became primary and proved to the entire world that I’m a contender for the title… My next fight will probably be just for the belt.
“So, it could possibly be an interim title if [Islam] doesn’t have time to get better his hand. If he recovers his hand, it would be even higher for me.”
One man who’s already put up his hand, albeit tentatively, as a possible opponent for Tsarukyan in such an interim title fight is the person who Makhachev suffered the injury against, Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier.
“I could fight at the top of the yr,” he told MMA Junkie earlier this week, explaining how “The names, obviously the opponent matters big time but, where the timing and the position on the cardboard and stuff like that, those come into play as well.
“I ponder what they’re gonna do with that Arman Tsarukyan open to interim UFC title fight after Islam Makhachev injury postpones his plans for undisputed clash, is Arman gonna proceed to attend for Islam? I don’t know when Islam’s gonna be back but I saw a thing that said he may need to have surgery, so we’ll see man.
“The lightweight division has been so crazy over these past years,” the fan-favorite American noted, and when asked what he considered an interim title fight against Tsarukyan, he simply stated: “Yeah, of course [that] interests me.”
Whilst we’re yet to listen to from Makhachev on what he thinks about two of his former opponents potentially fighting for an interim title; there’s one key person involved who’s staunchly against such moves being made – Makhachev’s own coach, Javier Mendez.
Islam Makhachev’s veteran coach isn’t a fan of interim title fights
Javier Mendez is certainly one of the best coaches in all of MMA; nonetheless, he’s also remarkably against the thought of getting interim title fights within the UFC.
Talking to Red Corner MMA earlier this week, that is what Mendez needed to say on the problem of putting title belts on the road when an undisputed champion is out injured.
“Initially, interim titles are baloney… I mean I get it if Isam was going to be out for a complete yr then do an interim title. But in the event you’re only out for a few months or two months at a time, why would you do an interim title when the champion can come out and do this, identical to with Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones.”
Mendez criticized the choice to crown Aspinall because the interim heavyweight king, noting that “He’s not the champ, Jon Jones is the champ – what does interim champ even mean?
“Really, I’m just being honest – interim titles mean nothing to me. Interim titles just mean you’re next in line… You’re still the primary contender.”
We’ll need to see what the UFC does by way of the lightweight title picture, with Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway for the featherweight title now set to fundamental event UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi in October.
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