Islam Makhachev names who he wants to fight next

Russian professional mixed martial artist Islam Makhachev knows he’ll have plenty of options awaiting him with a win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, but he has one specific name in mind when looking at the top welterweight contenders.

After breaking the record for the most title defenses at lightweight with four in a row, Makhachev relinquished that belt and now takes a stab at 170 pounds.

If he’s successful on Saturday night, Makhachev believes a former champion like Kamaru Usman actually makes the most sense for his next opponent, especially when he looks at the overall lay of the land in the division and who’s available, MMA Fighting reported.

“Why I said [Kamaru] Usman, he’s the biggest name in welterweight. [He] defended the belt. He’s a big name, and he’s in a good position right now. He beat [Joaquin] Buckley, who is one of the contenders also," Makhachev said.