Paddy Pimblett has voiced surprise over Islam Makhachev’s decision to vacate his UFC lightweight title as he moves up to welterweight.
Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) gave up the 155-pound belt and is expected to challenge newly crowned welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena later this year.
Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) questioned why Makhachev had to relinquish the title while UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones continues to hold his belt despite not defending it for over a year. Jones has yet to unify the heavyweight title with interim champion Tom Aspinall.
“I didn’t think they’d make Islam vacate,” Pimblett told TNT Sports. “But if you’re making Islam vacate, Jones needs to be stripped. If you’re making Islam vacate after four defenses, fighting people on short notice, you should let him try and be double champ.”
Pimblett also believes Makhachev should have defended his lightweight title against Movsar Topuria before moving up in weight. Instead, Topuria will face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the UFC 317 main event on June 28.
“If I was Islam, I would have fought Topuria, beat Topuria, and then fought Jack Della Maddalena a few months later,” Pimblett said. “If he smokes Topuria like he smoked Renato Moicano and others, he’d be ready to fight Jack Della in October. If I was Islam, I would have done that.”
Pimblett admitted he was surprised Makhachev didn’t fight Topuria at International Fight Week but understood his reasoning. “He beat a featherweight twice and said he doesn’t want to fight another featherweight,” Pimblett said. “Most people think Ilia beats Islam, which I don’t. It would have been nice to see Islam school him.”
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