Chael Sonnen Explains Why Islam Makhachev Wants to Move Up
After Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 on January 18, 2025, he renewed his interest in challenging for a second title. He named middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis as a possible opponent, though no bout was booked. In an interview published February 4, Chael Sonnen offered a different explanation for Makhachev’s talk of changing divisions. Sonnen’s view was commentary, not confirmation of Makhachev’s private motives.
Video context: The clip below shows Makhachev discussing a possible fight with Du Plessis. It provides context for the remarks Sonnen was reacting to; it is not Sonnen’s interview or evidence of Sonnen’s theory.
What Sonnen argued
Sonnen pushed back on the idea that Makhachev’s comments were simply a bid to add another belt to his résumé or build a legacy. He interpreted the willingness to discuss fights at 185 pounds against Du Plessis or even at 205 pounds against Alex Pereira as a sign that Makhachev wanted to leave the lightweight division. Sonnen described the talk as a “plea for help” and warned that, if the promotion did not give Makhachev a compelling path, he could consider retiring earlier than expected.
To make his point, Sonnen compared the situation with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement while lightweight champion. That comparison was Sonnen’s own interpretation of why Khabib left the sport, and it does not establish that Makhachev shared the same thinking.
The distinction matters because two separate things were being discussed. Makhachev had publicly said he was interested in another title opportunity, including a potential fight with Du Plessis. Sonnen then speculated about what that interest meant. His remarks did not announce a matchup, report a private conversation with Makhachev, or establish that a move to welterweight had been agreed.
The title talk also came after Makhachev’s scheduled defense against Arman Tsarukyan fell through shortly before fight night because of Tsarukyan’s withdrawal. Makhachev then faced Moicano. That last-minute change explains why discussion of a fresh opponent was timely, but it does not verify Sonnen’s interpretation of Makhachev’s motives.
How the plan developed
At the time of Sonnen’s interview, Makhachev was still the lightweight champion. He had just submitted Moicano in the first round for his fourth consecutive title defense, and the possible Du Plessis fight remained hypothetical. Du Plessis was preparing to defend his middleweight belt against Sean Strickland at UFC 312, with other contenders also in the picture. A cross-division fight would have required a titleholder, promotion officials, and scheduling to align; confidence from either fighter did not make it a booked contest.
The later record gives the discussion a concrete outcome. Makhachev vacated the lightweight title in May 2025 and moved to welterweight. On November 15, he defeated Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 50–45, to win the 170-pound championship. He then defended that title against Ian Machado Garry on August 15, 2026, winning by unanimous decision on scores of 49–46, 49–46, and 48–47.
That history does not prove Sonnen’s theory about Makhachev’s motivations. It does show that Makhachev ultimately pursued the welterweight title rather than the proposed middleweight bout with Du Plessis, and that he became champion in the new division. The early discussion is best read as a public exchange of views: Makhachev floated an ambitious challenge, and Sonnen offered a skeptical explanation that events later overtook.
Sources
Reporting and records: coverage of Sonnen’s February 4 comments, Makhachev’s post-fight comments on a second title, and the promotion’s UFC 322, UFC 330, and Makhachev fight history.
