After UFC 311, it’s clear: Islam Makhachev is where the crazy go to die

One of the things Islam Makhachev does better than anyone in combat is smashing glass slippers and rolling in the shards.

Renato Moicano was having a great time in a match he never managed before UFC 311, and over a 24-hour period, Moicano racked up as many accolades as possible before replacing the injured Arman Tsarukyan to face Makhachev . What a story it was for the 35-year-old veteran to get his chance out of the blue. What a story would be what he would have done if he won the lightweight title against all odds.

Yet we all know that Cinderella has no place in MMA. Makhachev knocked out Moicano late in the first round at the brand new Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, in what looked almost like a ritual massacre. A D’Arce choke that made him tap out in panic, and a sequence that will run on loop in his mind for a long, long time. We kind of knew what was coming, which is a polite way of saying we knew exactly what was going to happen.

Because we’ve seen it before.

We saw it with Dustin Poirier, who had – like Moicano – upset Benoit Saint Denis and emerged as one of the feel-good stories of 2024. Poirier was enjoying the kind of renaissance you almost never see in the UFC, and his reluctance to go there. gently into this good night was inspiring. The stories leading up to UFC 302 were poetic in almost every way. But when he got involved with Makhachev, this particular reverie quickly darkened. He held on until the fifth lap, but he was overtaken from the first moments. Succumbing, minute after brutal minute. Until he hits.

There would be no happy ending to Poirier’s story.

Alexander Volkanovski? The first fight may have been quite competitive, but the second fight was a cold reminder of the kind of tyranny we face. Volk never recovered. Islam has been so good that even Jon Jones’ most loyal fan, Dana White, admitted after UFC 311 that Islam is the undeniable pound-for-pound king. Beating Moicano was enough to overtake the GOAT, Jonny “Bones” Jones, in the most hypothetical rankings.

All week people have been arguing about how Makhachev compares to his coach and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Would Islam surpass him as lightweight GOAT with a fourth title defense, when Khabib only had three? Would the strength of Islam’s calendar tip it over? The unfortunate thing is that Tsarukyan, who has won nine out of ten fights, was a key part of the discussion. It presented enough stylistic challenges to strengthen Makhachev’s arguments.

Yet the cold ease with which Makhachev got rid of Moicano on Saturday night speaks for itself. And if Makhachev truly has become the lightweight GOAT and current pound-for-pound king, you’d like to see him fight someone who doesn’t arrive in glass slippers. Someone who sows doubt about the title reigns like Umar Nurmagomedov did for Merab Dvalishvili at bantamweight, or like Magomed Ankalaev did for his challenge of Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight crown.

And right now, outside of Tsarukyan – who White says will need to get back in line after making him struggle – there aren’t many names that stand out at lightweight. Makhachev already beat Charles Oliveira to win the title in the first place. Dan Hooker, although revitalized, is a little far down the pecking order. Plus, this fight doesn’t shake things up. Justin Gaethje is a storm that matchmakers love but doesn’t seem like the right move (especially after that knockout loss to Holloway). Holloway just lost to Topuria.

Which leads to… Topuria.

Another featherweight champion eager to test himself at 155 pounds, which is perhaps the most compelling of the possibilities available. While Belal Muhammad appears locked in a title fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov for the welterweight title, fighting for a second belt might not be an immediate option for Makhachev. But Topuria coming up is the kind of momentum matchup Islam could use, the 2024 Fighter of the Year who knocked out the world’s two best featherweights – Volkanovski and Holloway – like it was no big deal .

Topuria is in a similar situation to Makhachev. Having already beaten the best, who is there? Diego Lopes is scheduled to face Yair Rodriguez on March 29 in Mexico City, and Movsar Evloev… well, the UFC can’t seem to find a comfortable place on this bandwagon. The timing would make sense if the UFC wants to grant Topuria his wish of trying to join the two-division champion club.

Right after Makhachev put the belt back around his waist, Topuria posted on social media: “Islam, if I want, I can finish you. If I want, I can knock you out. I’ll make it look easy. See you soon.” And he accompanied this text with a little winking emoji. Poke the bear just before Ramadan hibernation.

Delusional? Maybe. But see, that’s what makes it fun. Topuria sees an opportunity in the story, while Makhachev is the place where illusions go to die.