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Morning Report: Islam Makhachev’s coach says Kamaru Usman title shot is ‘possible’

LaPhezz June 17, 2025
Jed Meshew https://ift.tt/bwExfic
UFC 311: Makhachev vs Moicano
Islam Makhachev | Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Kamaru Usman really might be in the mix.

This past Saturday, Usman picked up his first win in the UFC in nearly four years, winning a unanimous decision over Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta. Afterward, Usman lobbied for a crack at the winner of the Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena welterweight title fight that appears to be next, earning some backlash from the fans. But Makhachev’s head coach, Javier Mendez, could see it.

“Possible,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “It depends what the UFC thinks. I think Shavkat needs to be considered. Also Ian Garry, Belal Muhammad, too, if he wants to be back in the picture. Who knows? This division, the welterweight division, has become the hotbed for the UFC at the present time, in my opinion. There’s so many marquee fights they can make from there. Let’s see what they want to do.”

“[Usman’s] right in line with JDM, 100 percent,” Mendez added. “I think all those guys are really trouble for everybody. Shavkat, Ian Garry, there’s so many guys in that division that Islam hasn’t fought either. So it’s one of those exciting things to be in, but we need to get by JDM first. He’s not going to be an easy fight as it is.”

Makhachev is vacating his lightweight title in order to pursue a second belt, something Mendez says has been in the works for years.

“He wants the legacy,” Mendez said. “All along, we had talked about, he had told me — this was after the first or second [title defense] — he said, ‘I want to come in and I want to do something where I can go after the welterweight title. ... I want to defend the lightweight title more than anybody, and then after that, if I get the opportunity, I want to go for the welterweight title.’ So this has been on our radar way back before [Ilia] Topuria was anybody even known on our radar.”

Earlier this year, Makhachev set the record for most lightweight title defenses when he submitted Renato Moicano at UFC 311. And if he was ever going to move up, Mendez says now is the time, since there’s probably not too much left in Makhachev’s career.

“Islam is 34, too, or going to be 34, so it isn’t like he’s really going to be around much longer, I don’t think, based on how the Dagestani guys, the mentality of Team Khabib is,” Mendez said. “And Islam having enough money to do what he wants to do the rest of his life. So let’s see. The challenge is more, for me, being able to get a legacy going for him, and getting the welterweight title is a hell of a legacy to have.

“I’m anticipating we’ll see him for hopefully another three fights, total. We’ll see who’s in the works for that.”

TOP STORIES

New Orleans. ‘This is for him’: Dana White praises Dustin Poirier, confirms UFC 318 was built specifically for his retirement fight.

Feud. Israel Adesanya rips ‘f*cking annoying’ Joaquin Buckley after UFC Atlanta, Buckley responds.

Beef. ‘I reckon I proper hurt him’: Paddy Pimblett confident he’d beat Ilia Topuria in UFC ‘money fight.’

Backup. Arman Tsarukyan backing up UFC 317 main event between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira.

Return. Sean O’Malley coach hopes for return sooner than later, not concerned about losses affecting star power.

Rankings. Rankings Shakeup: Kamaru Usman is back—but is he back in the welterweight top 5?

$$$. UFC Atlanta salaries: Rose Namajunas leads all fighters with $500K payday.

Medicals. UFC Atlanta medical suspensions: 3 fighters get indefinite suspensions including Miranda Maverick.

VIDEO STEW

Fight Journal.

Good Guy/Bad Guy.

Aljo on UFC Atlanta.

Michael Bisping reacts to Ilia vs. Paddy.

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Kamaru.

Buckley ready to fight Izzy.

Heavyweights.

Honestly, same.

Classic Tony.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Looking ahead, UFC Baku is kinda good? I mean, UFC Atlanta was terrible, but this weekend might be fun.

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and like us on Facebook.



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