Makhachev needs to be double champ after Della Maddalena’s UFC 315 win

Jack Della Maddalena defeating Belal Muhammad to turn out to be the brand new undisputed UFC welterweight champion would possibly finally end up having a ripple impact in two divisions.

Dana White used to be in Montreal this week and on the pre-fight press convention stated Saturday’s consequence would decide the following opponent for the present light-weight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter at the UFC roster, Islam Makhachev.

“Time to become a double champion,” Makhachev posted to social media mins after the UFC 315 primary match concluded. “Let’s go.”

The pondering heading into the development used to be if Muhammad had defended the name, the UFC would put in combination a Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria light-weight name combat, which might headline UFC 317 at International Fight Week in the summertime.

Muhammad had up to now mentioned he wasn’t all for going through Makhachev because the two are pleasant and feature educated in combination up to now. That’s why a Muhammad vs. Makhachev used to be no longer an choice.

On the opposite hand, if a brand new champ used to be topped then Makhachev, who has up to now expressed an passion in achieving a 2d name in a unique weight elegance, would transfer as much as the 170-pound department to problem Della Maddalena after which Topuria would as a substitute face former light-weight champion Charles Oliveira.

The group has but to announce the primary match for the approaching UFC 317, which is scheduled for overdue June in Las Vegas.

White wrapped the belt round Della Maddalena’s waist, on the other hand the UFC president didn’t attend the post-fight press convention. The UFC’s senior VP of International and Content, Dave Shaw, did as a substitute.

“I don’t know what the decision is, but I suspect you’ll hear more this week,” Shaw stated.

Makhachev is 27-1 with 15 consecutive victories and is the No. 1-ranked fighter at the UFC’s pound-for-pound listing. 

Two of Makhachev’s light-weight name defences have been towards Alexander Volkanovski who tried to turn out to be a two-weight champion on two events however misplaced to Makhachev each instances. 

“I mean it’s a beautiful challenge. He’s pound-for-pound No. 1. I’m gonna get him back for Volk,” Della Maddalena stated within the cage when requested a few imaginable combat with Makhachev whilst referencing his fellow Australian.