Daniel Cormier and Islam Makhachev | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Daniel Cormier thinks we need all need to appreciate Islam Makhachev just a little bit more.

Yesterday, Makhachev’s head coach Javier Mendez revealed that the lightweight champion may not have long left in the sport, saying he believes Makhachev only has about three fights left in his career. Which, for Cormier, brought up a lot of feelings.

“Javier Mendez also said that that Islam Makhachev might have three fights, including Jack Della Maddalena. That, right there, is where our energy should be spent as Islam fans,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.

“How in the world does it feel like another dominant champion may be saying it’s about time? Why? He’s young. He’s the world champ. He’s dominating. He’s getting the opportunity to become a double champ. Why do we have to look at that again?

While technically still the lightweight champion, Makhachev is expected to vacate the title ahead of the upcoming lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Instead, Makhachev will be moving up to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight belt sometime later this year. And all this possible change has Cormier getting a bit nostalgic.

“I think we are in a time right now in fighting that, for me as a fan, is very sad,” Cormier said. “I don’t believe for a second though, that it’s going to change. I think there will be new guys that will ultimately step right in line with where those guys leave, the Michael Chandlers, the Justin Gaethjes, the Charles Oliveiras. There will always be another guy. But when they all start to walk away, it’s sad for the fan. Especially the new fan that made his way into MMA based on what those guys did for so long in that division.”

Of course, Cormier has a personal relationship with Makhachev, serving as one of the coaches at American Kickboxing Academy under Mendez, and as a longtime teammate with the entire Eagle MMA team. And given his relationship, Cormier knows that if Makhachev says something, that means it’s true. And if that really is the case, Cormier wants everyone to recognize what a special time Makhachev’s lightweight reign was.

“Islam only has three fights. Why? Why? It’s scary to me,” Cormier said. “Because I know, knowing these guys, if he says, ‘I’ve got three,’ and he stands at he has three — the only saving grace right now is someone is saying it for him and he has not said that himself. If Islam comes out and tells us, ‘I’ve got three fights left,’ we should all go, ‘Man, we’ve got to lock in.’ Because you know that it’s a special time. It’s a special reign that Islam has created at 155.

“Why? Why, when you’re in your mid-thirties, are you looking to walk away from the game that you are dominating? We saw Khabib do it and he never looked back. … That should be worrisome to us as MMA fans. We have so many more fights that we want these guys to fight. We want to see him against Jack Della, we want to see him against [Kamaru] Usman, and we want to see him against Ilia Topuria. That is how short a window we are talking about if this man is to walk away after three more fights. It’s crazy.”

TOP STORIES

About time. Dana White: UFC will ‘move on quickly’ if Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall isn’t finalized in the next couple of weeks.

Yeesh. Conor McGregor reportedly punches man twice in new video from Ibiza club.

Praise. ‘This is for him’: Dana White praises Dustin Poirier, confirms UFC 318 was built specifically for his retirement fight.

Machine. Joe Rogan calls Merab Dvalishvili a ‘f*cking monster,’ no one can keep up with.

Health. Ben Askren ‘still on a ventilator,’ may need lung transplant.

CineMMA. Charles Oliveira biopic in the works at 405 Films.

TUF. Fighter misses weight, opponent paid $12,500 to make fight happen on latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter.

VIDEO STEW

Between the Links.

TUF Recap.

Michael Bisping, Bruce Buffer, Jon Anik, and Justin Gaethje are in the New Naked Gun movie.

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Speaking of Islam Makhachev.

Kevin Holland might already have a fight.

Beef.

Khalil’s fight shorts.

LOL.

Baku.

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Edson Barboza (24-12) vs. Drakkar Klose (15-3-1); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

King Green (32-17-1) vs. Diego Ferreira (19-6); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

Karine Silva (18-5) vs. JJ Aldrich (14-7); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

Bryan Battle (12-2) vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (36-9-2); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

Tim Elliott (20-13-1) vs. Kai Asakura (21-5); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

Chase Hooper (16-3-1) vs. Alexander Hernandez (16-8); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

Jessica Andrade (26-14) vs. Loopy Godinez (13-5); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

Gerald Meerschaert (37-19) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (20-9); UFC 319, Aug. 16.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If Makhachev really does only have a few fights left, his is destined to be a career under appreciated. Possibly the lightweight GOAT but rarely talked about with reverence, in part because he was always the villain in the story. Everyone wanted Volkanovski to win, then Poirier, and now the Topuria stuff. Man might very well might go down as one of the 10 best fighters of all time and somehow it doesn’t feel like that’s ever been his story.

EXIT POLL

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