Islam Makhachev may be one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, but his success has created an unexpected problem. Former title challenger Chael Sonnen believes the welterweight champion's overwhelming skill level makes it hard for fans to get excited about his fights.
UFC President Dana White recently confirmed that Makhachev will return in August to defend his welterweight title for the first time. The Russian won the 170-pound belt via unanimous decision over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 on November 15, 2025, after vacating the lightweight title months earlier.
Potential challengers like Ian Machado Garry and Kamaru Usman have been mentioned as options for Makhachev's first defense. Moving up a weight class has given the champion fresh matchups, but Sonnen questions whether those fights will capture fans' interest.
Sonnen Questions Excitement Level for Makhachev Fights
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen explained his perspective on the challenge Makhachev faces as a dominant champion.
"It wasn't to insult, Islam's great. I fully get Islam's greatness," Sonnen said. "I'm saying I don't think there's an exciting fight. I think Islam has gotten to that level of greatness where it's hard to think that someone can deal with that and if you can't make believe that someone can deal with that, you can not be excited for the fight."
Makhachev's dominant performance against Della Maddalena answered questions about how he would handle larger opponents at welterweight. All three judges scored the bout in his favor, establishing him as a two-division champion.
Historical Precedent for Dominant Champions
Sonnen's observation echoes patterns seen with other legendary UFC champions. Demetrious Johnson, who enters the Hall of Fame this year, was so far ahead of his flyweight competition that his title defenses sometimes felt like formalities.
Jon Jones experienced similar dynamics during his final run as light heavyweight champion. While he had some competitive fights, no single challenger emerged as a clear threat to his dominance.
The welterweight division does offer opponents who could pose interesting challenges to Makhachev, even if the champion would enter as the favorite.
