Retired UFC star surprised by claims that Islam Makhachev avoided Ilia Topuria fight

A former UFC veteran doesn’t understand why some believe that Islam Makhachev ducked Ilia Topuria.

Makhachev has long made it clear that his goal is to capture a second UFC title, this time at welterweight. He found the right opportunity to achieve his goal when his teammate Belal Muhammad was beaten by Jack Della Maddalena, who is now the 170-pound titleholder. Makhachev will vacate the lightweight gold once the UFC 317 main event between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira begins.

While some fans and even analysts have claimed that Makhachev sidestepped Topuria, one ex-UFC bruiser doesn’t agree.

RELATED: POPULAR UFC ANALYST THINKS ISLAM MAKHACHEV DUCKED ILIA TOPURIA

Makhachev Did Not Duck Topuria, Says Matt Brown

Matt Brown reacted to those who think Islam Makhachev did all he could to avoid Ilia Topuria on MMAFighting.com‘s “The Fighter vs. The Writer.”

“I’m very surprised people are saying that,” Brown said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “That’s a very silly thing to say. Islam ducking someone, that sentence just doesn’t make sense, those words. I just don’t see that at all.

“As a matter of fact, Jack Della Maddalena is sort of a bigger version of Ilia in some respects. Great boxers with good power. That’s kind of their forte, great boxers with good power. It seems kind of counterintuitive to move up a weight class to fight a great boxer with power to duck a smaller guy that’s a great boxer with power?”

Brown isn’t alone in thinking that “JDM” could pose some problems for Makhachev. No. 8-ranked UFC welterweight Michael Morales told Athlon Sports that he feels Makhachev may struggle in the welterweight division. Makhachev has said that he constantly trains with fighters who are bigger than him. We’ll see if that preparation translates whenever his welterweight title fight against Maddalena takes place.