WHAT’S NEXT? Chimaev already beat the No.11-ranked Li on Saturday night. Top 10? Neil Magny?
4 – Islam Makhachev
Speaking of the ever-elusive flawless victory, Islam Makhachev got his on Saturday by submitting Dan Hooker in less than three minutes. Stylistically, Hooker was made for Makhachev, but if that’s the case, a fighter still has to execute, and the Russian did that to perfection. No, he’s not the next Khabib Nurmagomedov, but he is the first Islam Makhachev, and he’s a serious threat to the elite at the top of the 155-pound division.
WHAT’S NEXT? By the time this weekend’s Justin Gaethje-Michael Chandler clash and December’s title fight between Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier are over, we will have a clearer sense of where the weight class stands, and what should be next for Makhachev, who is likely one win away from a crack at the crown.
