Islam Makhachev promises he’s built different than Chael Sonnen and that’s why the former UFC title challenger can’t understand his decision to chase greatness by going after a second championship in a new weight class.
On Thursday, Makhachev fired back at Sonnen after the retired fighter and current UFC analyst claimed is was a “sign of cowardice” that the Russian was going after welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena rather than sticking around at lightweight to face Ilia Topuria.
“You are so interested in getting away from this guy that you not only leave your belt, you leave your division, and the whole thing is only contingent that you don’t have to fight [Ilia Topuria],” Sonnen said. “Not for nothing, this is not the way champion’s conduct themselves.”
Makhachev, who already set the record for the most title defenses in UFC lightweight history with four in a row, fired back at Sonnen while reminding him what championship mindset is really all about.
“Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport,” Makhachev wrote on Twitter. “But average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that. So please [sit] and watch how others doing it, uncle Chael.”
Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport. But average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that. So please seat and watch how others doing it, uncle Chael. #doublechamp
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) May 22, 2025
Makhachev has long stated that he wanted to become a two-division UFC champion but he resisted making the move to welterweight previously because his friend and frequent training partner Belal Muhammad was holding the title.
After Muhammad lost the belt to Della Maddalena at UFC 315, Makhachev immediately expressed his interest in moving up to 170 pounds to challenge for that second title.
While he ultimately had to relinquish his lightweight belt to go there, Makhachev is scheduled to face Della Maddalena later this year with hopes that he can join a very exclusive club of UFC fighters who have held titles in two different divisions.
As for Topuria, he’s still getting a chance to fight for lightweight gold when he faces Charles Oliveira in the main event at UFC 317 in June.
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