UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has made it very clear that competing at a higher weight class is in his future plans.
The pound-for-pound #1 wants to add a second belt to his collection after giving Alexander Volkanovski the opportunity to do the same on two occasions.
There may be an issue with this intention for the time being after his friend Belal Muhammad became the welterweight champion, but you can be sure that it’ll still be on his bucket list.
Having had a behind the scenes look at one of Makhachev’s earlier UFC fight weeks, Ricky Glenn is surprised that it hasn’t happened already.
Makhachev’s coach and long-time teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov cut a lot of weight in order to make 155-pounds and it caused issues at points in his career.
Whilst the current champion hasn’t had too many concerns in recent years, Glenn recently recalled his experiences of watching what he would put himself through to make the 155 pound limit.
Ricky Glenn Recalls Watching Islam Makhachev Train Like A ‘Zombie’ During Tough Weight Cut
Glenn is set to return this weekend at UFC 305 where he will compete at welterweight for the first time in his UFC career against Song Kenan.
When giving his thoughts on Makhachev’s current title reign, Glenn recalled how he previously shared a training room with him during fight week for the Iowa native’s UFC debut back in 2016.
He said that he wouldn’t be surprised to see someone stop the current champion in the future if he remains at lightweight, with what he puts his body through to make the weight.
In fact, this fight week that Glenn was reflecting on saw Makhachev bounce back from his one and only career defeat, when he was knocked out by Adriano Martins at UFC 192.
“He’s just on a whole other level and he cuts a lot of weight. I’m surprised he hasn’t moved up because man, I’ve shared a training room with him. I think it was, it might have been my debut fight, he fought Chris [Wade] but days before weigh-ins and just zaps. Could barely move and they’re just throwing punches like this fast, it’s just super slow, like a zombie.
“But, he makes the weight somehow and can recover but I’d be worried eventually if he can’t recover good enough, someone’s going to TKO or knock him out I think with cutting that much weight. It’s impressive how much he cuts and fills back up.”
