A true champion knows when to fight and when to give back—and Islam Makhachev does both with grace. He doesn’t just dominate inside the Octagon—he inspires far beyond it. The reigning UFC lightweight champion is on the cusp of his fifth title defense, and though he is now in camp, Makhachev continues to uplift others. He recently showed his heart of gold by spending time with children battling cancer.
The Dagestani is expected to return this year to defend his title for a record fifth time (he holds the record with 4 successful defenses so far), possibly against Charles Oliveira, Ilia Topuria, or Justin Gaethje. As of now, there are only speculations about his return, and the UFC has yet to book him officially. However, UFC executives are working hard to secure a clash between Makhachev and Topuria, with a fight expected at the International Fight Week. Even with so much riding on him, Makhachev found the time to inspire another person, much like many champions before him has done.
‘HomeofFight’ took to their Instagram handle to upload a series of videos from a Russian news channel, which mentioned that the Pound-4-Pound number one fighter has taken time out of his busy schedule to spend time with 16-year-old Rabazan, who is suffering from cancer. The young fan sees Islam Makhachev as a role model for strength. When asked why he holds Makhachev in such high regard, Rabazan stated, “I learned about Islam Makhachev on TV. I liked his fight, then I decided to watch his other fights on my phone. I like him because he is a determined person; he has interesting techniques.”
The young fan further expressed that he sees Islam Makhachev as a living embodiment of strength. The lightweight champion signed several pieces of merchandise and mentioned how busy his schedule is, but still assured that if the time comes, he will be there to help these kids in need.“I’m glad to see them, to give them some support, some motivation—to let them know they are not alone in fighting these diseases and that they fight to the end. Today, I’m some kind of example for the young people, and I try to pay more attention to the people, to communicate with them,” said Islam Makhachev.
The last time Islam Makhachev fought, at UFC 311, another UFC superstar grabbed headlines with his act of kindness for a fan with cancer. Jiri Prochazka, the former LHW champion, shaved his iconic ponytail in solidarity with a fan fighting cancer. He donated $50,000 to the fan, which UFC CEO Dana White matched at the press conference for the PPV.
Then there is former LHW champion Alex Pereira, who got emotional shaving a fan’s head. But a few months later, he was more than happy to pose with the fan, Ashton Choothesa, who was successfully in remission. No doubt, Makhachev will be looking forward to announcing a similar news.
While the Dagestani prepares for his fight against one of the top contenders in the 155-pound division, he still makes time to meet the kids who see him as a hero. Given that, when is he actually returning to the Octagon? Well, the answer to this question might be in Dubai.
Top UFC executives land in Dubai to discuss Islam Makhachev’s dilemma
Ilia Topuria wants Islam Makahchev for a title fight, but the lightweight champion is not keen on giving the Georgian-Spanish fighter a backdoor entry to the 155 lbs gold. Team Khabib Nurmagomedov has straight out expressed that Topuria would have to prove his worth as a top lightweight contender before he could even dream of fighting for the title. This statement by Team Khabib irked the former featherweight champion, and he took to several podcasts to emphasize that they are afraid of him because they know Makhachev would lose his belt if they clashed.
Amidst the chaos, the entire lightweight division finds itself in a dilemma, as all the top contenders are eligible for a title shot. As uncertainty continues to cloud the division, Hunter Campbell has arrived in Dubai to hold final discussions regarding the future of Islam Makhachev. Hunter Campbell met with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Rizvan Magomedov, Islam Makhachev’s manager, in Dubai.
What does the UFC want from Team Khabib? Well, International Fight Week is coming, and the UFC is yet to announce the card. Dana White is reportedly looking to book Islam Makhachev against Ilia Topuria. However, the lightweight champion is not keen on taking the fight as he is waiting for the UFC 315 fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. Why? Because a victory for the Australian would amount to Makhachev’s jump to the welterweight division.
Islam Makhachev is not in the mood to entertain Dana White’s demands, but will Hunter Campbell throw any opportunities his way that might entice him?
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