Islam Makhachev has already fought in one championship fight so far this year. Back in January, during UFC 311 in Inglewood, CA at Intuit Dome, he defended the UFC Lightweight Championship for the fourth successive time by way of first-round submission (D’arce choke) with 55 seconds remaining in the period versus Renato Moicano.
As spring gives way to another electrifying summer in the UFC, Makhachev won’t be entertaining a fifth title defense at 155. Earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White took to Instagram to announce that Islam Makhachev would vacate the lightweight division’s championship in order to move up to the welterweight division and Ilia Topuria would battle Charles Oliveira on June 28 at UFC 317 for the newly-vacant lightweight strap.