Article by Robert Vîrdol – Published Saturday, March 28, 2026 9:45 p.m. / Updated Saturday, March 28, 2026 9:46 p.m.
The UFC welterweight division is full of big names waiting for a title shot. Ian Garry, Michael Morales, Kamaru Usman or even Shavkat Rakhmonov could be the Russian's next opponent.
Gazeta Sporturilor compiled a Top 5 fighters who could be Islam Makhachev's next rival in the welterweight category. It is well known that he does not want to give rematches anymore, so Jack Della Madalena is excluded from the calculation. Another fighter he will not face is Belal Muhammad, with whom he has a friendly relationship.
Islam Makhachev and his possible opponents
The Russian athlete is considered by many to be one of the best trained MMA fighters in history, thanks to the fights won, but also the streak of 16 consecutive victories in the UFC. During all this time, he defeated big names such as Dustin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski or Charles Oliveira.
With the move from lightweight to welterweight, he wasn't as active anymore. Often the fighter is criticized for only having one match a year, which upsets the fans of the sport or even his own supporters. The time has come for him to defend his belt, and his division is full of names looking to spoil his record.
5. Islam Makhachev vs. Michael Venom Page
Michael Venom Page // photo: Instagram
The Englishman started to make waves in his category, and a few days ago he defeated Sam Patterson. Now, once the fans get wind of him and he gets big wins with Jared Cannonier or Shara Magomedov, a title shot could come.
However, ahead of him are much bigger names in the UFC who have far more impressive performances. He could be offered as an opponent to Islam Makhachev just to have an easier path to his UFC record 17-fight winning streak.
4. Islam Makhachev vs. Michael Morales
Michael Morales // photo: Instagram
The fight between the two was analyzed by several MMA experts. Michael Morales has a good track record with important wins and above all he is undefeated so far. The fight between the two could be a historic one, but there are already rumors that Islam Makhachev would not agree to it.
In his career, Michael Morales defeated Sean Brandy and Gilbert Burns, the biggest names he faced.
3. Islam Makhachev vs Shavkat Rakhmonov
Shavkat Rakhmonov // photo: Instagram
This fight is highly anticipated by the fans as the athlete from Kazakhstan is undefeated. Shavkat Rakhmonov is considered by many to be the man who could beat Islam Makhachev, as he has good qualities for both ground and foot fighting.
Shavkat Rakhmonov was injured and took a long break from his win with Ian Garry. Now he still has some work to do to get a title shot, but you never know how the UFC operates, and Dana White could see him as a worthy contender.
2. Islam Makhachev vs Ian Garry
Ian Garry // photo: Instagram
The duel between the two is a dream one, being considered a re-edition of the fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. They were raised by great rivals, and a duel between them could be an epoch-making one.
Ian Garry earned his title shot after his win with Belal Muhammad and now looks forward to facing Islam Makhachev. The Irishman also has a good record, being 17-1-0.
1. Islam Makhachev vs. Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman // photo: Instagram
Kamaru Usman isn't in the form he once was, but he's still one of the greatest fighters in the welterweight division. He hasn't fought in almost a year, and fans would like to see him back in the ring.
The fight between Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman would be a highly desired one, as the Nigerian is considered the second best fighter in this category. Against Kamaru and Islam would like to fight, as such a victory would solidify his position among the best fighters in UFC history.
