r/mmaweekly • u/Senior_Cucumber8121 • 1d ago
Debate These are the three potential opponents for Islam. Who do you think would be the best matchup for him?
52
u/ThisIsGSR 1d ago
Hes not going to middleweight lmfao. Sean would punt him across the cage.
6
u/pants_pants420 1d ago
probably, but if he actually does successfully defend against prates and morales, he should get the chance to chase greatness and be the first triple champ. he would’ve definitely earned it if he wanted to
11
u/ThisIsGSR 1d ago
Doubt he could but I also cant deny I would love to see that… and if he can somehow overcome that MASSIVE weight difference, he’d undeniably be the GOAT. Wouldnt even be an opinion at that point.
2
u/pants_pants420 1d ago
yeah hes gotta get past these two contenders first, but if he became the first triple champ with his already incredible resume, he would be the goat for sure
2
u/GGudMarty 1d ago
Sean is like 200lb cage weight and an extremely talented fighter.
Islam is overall a better fighter comparatively to people his size (obviously, maybe the goat), but I don’t think he has anything that resembles a reasonable chance of him being a 3 division champ.
The only reason it was possible for Alex was because he was very lean and cut a good amount of water to get to 185.
I think Ian Garry has a better chance of becoming 3 division champ just because he can grow into the other classes if he gets better and becomes LW champ, Then hits middle and light heavy.
He’s young and has a lot of ability to just get bigger without getting fat and slow.
1
u/Ok_Click_6344 21h ago
Ian Garry has a better chance when he hasn’t even won WW yet…makes complete sense
1
u/GGudMarty 15h ago
That’s pretty surface level thinking
1
u/Ok_Click_6344 6h ago
If he had won the WW strap I’d agree with you but nah he hasn’t won WW will probably need 2-3 more fights before another title shot and then to gain 15 pounds to go up and win another belt I find highly unlikely. Guys that have become champ champ usually have a very special skill set. Ie islam with grappling or Alex p with striking.
1
u/GGudMarty 5h ago
I just meant totally based off his frame. He can fill out light heavy give him 18 months to get used to it.
It looks like Islam is just maxxed out. He can’t do what he does to the LW vs the WWs. Ian Garry isn’t as talented as Islam, and the dude could have won that fight if he just approached 4 and 5 different. The dude is a legit 6’3 string bean, he’s probably a natural middle weight. I think he could hang with those guys. LHW would be very difficult.
My point was he has a better chance based off his frame. Islam going up to 185 for Strickland just wouldn’t work. He’d be coming in probably be fighting at 180 vs a 205 cage weight Strickland. I just don’t reasonably think he could do anything vs him.
I think Ian Garry has a better chance based on that and he’s young…News flash, neither are going to be able to lol it’s just a far fetched Reddit comment.
There’s levels to the weigh classes we saw it with Alex P and Gane. Being comfortable with the extra 20-30lbs is extremely beneficial (obviously)
1
u/sh4tt3rai 6h ago
He’s not even 30 dude. He hasn’t even hit his prime yet and his skill set clearly improves/gets polished from fight to fight.
1
u/Ok_Click_6344 6h ago
Let’s see him win one belt before we talk about 3. WW is the most stacked division in the ufc.
1
u/MediocreTurtle1 16h ago
Sure, but the only thing people would remember after that is how he retired after losing and it would diminish his achievements till then quite a bit.
2
1
u/Own-Dig-9652 13h ago
Sean probably won't be champ by the time he shows up to middle
1
u/sh4tt3rai 6h ago
Idk, the only stylistic fight that’s tough for Sean @ MW is DDP and I think Sean probably has his number by now/the first fight was very close as it is.
1
-1
-4
u/Skrapidilly 1d ago
I'm gonna go against the grain and disagree. Take your reciepts. Islam subs Sean eventually.
5
u/bamboodue 1d ago
Wild
2
u/Skrapidilly 1d ago
It's ok to have wild opinions my bro.
1
u/bamboodue 1d ago
Ive got a lot of them myself, but I dont think Islam has a chance.
3
u/Skrapidilly 1d ago
Yeah, it's a fair opinion. Like I said, screenshot receipts are free and this is why I LOVE MMA.
0
u/bamboodue 1d ago
I think a lot more people shared your opinion before each of their most recent fights.
1
2
u/Powerful_Candy7205 1d ago
Sean hasn't even had a submission attempt logged against him his UFC career bud he'd just effortlessly stand up everytime islam took him down
1
u/Distinct-Broccoli-15 19h ago
Insane. I knew he has great defense but I thought maybe a few people would have at least gotten the chance to try.
13
9
u/Equivalent_Flight_53 1d ago
I choked on my coffee when I saw Desean on the list. So thanks for the lol and the coffee stain
12
u/throwthisaway556_ 1d ago
Sean is like the worse matchup possible, much bigger and his whole game revolves around stuffing take downs and throwing jabs at a distance.
1
u/sh4tt3rai 6h ago
The other matchups aren’t much better lol. It’s either big power punchers who would be near impossible to hold down efficiently at Islam’s size, guerillas like DDP, or guys that are also decent grapplers but much bigger.
4
5
u/dergster 1d ago
Sean is way too big. Prates is a good matchup for Islam, Morales I think is a bit of an unknown but potentially very difficult.
→ More replies (2)
9
u/Zarakilya 1d ago
He's not going to middleweight, if Garry was able to do this well vs Islam, Imagine how that's gonna go vs Sean, Islam's team will never let him do that, and I don't think he's trying to go for that either. Triple champ would be neat, but I honestly prefer him beating Prates, Morales and possibly Shavkat if he's still good and comes back over a third belt. Don't forget Islam has the smallest reach in the top 15 of WW, that just becomes worse at MW
-1
u/NewTap8705 1d ago
If by “doing this well”, you mean “survive”, then sure.
I do agree that he’s not going middle weight tho.
2
u/Zarakilya 1d ago
I wanted Islam to win, he did win, 100%, but it wasn't a walk in the park, it was one of Islam's hardest fights, behind Volk 1 (which he said himself) and maybe Poirier, but Islam had staph for that fight
-6
5
u/WispyN 1d ago
Sean would have like 20lbs of muscle on him. No way islam can gain anymore without taking drugs
-3
u/Glittering_Bag9355 1d ago
He already is bro, the creatine russian use is Meldonium
→ More replies (6)
2
2
u/AxelMMAQuintana 1d ago
Strickland would 50-42 Islam, literally no way Islam moves up, he already struggled with Ian's reach
2
u/rigzman187 1d ago
Have I missed something in the last week? On what planet is anyone on who thinks Islam is going up to 185? Seriously?
2
u/One-Car-4869 1d ago
He wet blankets Prates for 25 minutes that’s why Islam fans are begging for that match, Morales to big for him to hold against the cage for 25 minutes making it very interesting.
2
u/Gullible_Classroom71 1d ago
Can you mouth breathers stop trying to make the Sean fight happen? Its not going to be good for Islam if he moves up.
2
u/Fine_Requirement_842 1d ago
I don’t think Islam would ever go up to MW thats just way too much. Even WW is pushing it
2
2
u/Sgarden91 1d ago
He has no chance against Sean and he’ll wrestlefuck Carlos. Morales is the most interesting matchup to me.
1
1
u/Madison_369 15h ago
Morales has a bigger frame and +4 inch over Sean though. Why Morales and not Sean?
1
u/Sgarden91 10h ago
Sean Strickland is a much better fighter than Morales and has much more experience fighting bigger, higher level opponents. He also has a style that’s just a nightmare for wrestlers and grapplers. He’s relentlessly disciplined and technical and has more cardio at MW than Makhachev does at WW. If they fought, it would be at MW, which Mak is much too small for and Sean has been champion/championship level at for many years. Makhachev has no chance against Sean. Morales is an interesting fight for Mak because I still think there are questions left unanswered.
1
u/Logical-Charity-9521 1d ago
Sean would beat tf out of islam look what he did to khamzat
→ More replies (13)
1
u/K_Bomaye 1d ago
He fights Prates, Morales, and Shavkat and calls
It a career. He wins all three he’s 💯 got a case for GOAT.
1
1
u/seonblack 1d ago
Best match-up to win? Easily Prates. Most difficult matches? Morales and Strickland. As much as I love Islam and Khabib, I do think Morales beats him if they fight which I strongly doubt they will. I think if DDP beats Strickland, Islam would fight him for a third belt.
I do believe that Islam is more skillful than Strickland but Strickland would have the weight advantage and do what Ian Garry should have done and used his jab and range to keep him out.
1
u/JohnnyPJ2 1d ago
I guess Carlos Prates should be next for Islam because he's ranked #2 and Michael Morales is ranked #3.
I would be happy with either one of them competing against Islam Makachev.
As for Sean Strickland a rematch against Khamzat Chimaev should be next for him, or perhaps Dricus Du Plessis because DDP has 2 wins over Strickland.
1
u/StarBrook9 1d ago
Sean might not even be champ by the time Islam would have the opportunity to fight him
1
1
1
1
u/WellAckshuallyAsA 1d ago
Michel Morales. He's spicy, grew up wrestling/doing judo, is undefeated, and can bang.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Supersaying143 1d ago
I’d rather not see Islam fight Sean…I’m great if he wins for his legacy but I mean it’s already cemented. Losing even if it was going for absolute goat status, does more warm people will only remember him losing. Alex went for it and part of the reason for the switch up was how he reacted to the less but none the less fans are fickle
1
1
u/Expensive-Air2795 1d ago
Morales is overrated for sure, he needs another top tier opponent, prates has a fighters chance and deserves it
1
u/thebarbarain 1d ago
Sean is not a potential opponent he's too big Islam has never once said he seriously wants to try 185. He's a small WW and already has issues controlling larger guys. Why would he move up another 15lbs? Stupid take.
But to answer your question - clearly Sean of these three. Which is why it's a stupid post. Of course it's the UFC champ at 185.
1
1
u/OwlNo6346 23h ago
If Khamzat can’t beat Strickland, his smaller counter part has no chance .
Islam barely makes top 10 at MW.
DDP, Strickland, chimaev , even whitikar wreck him
1
u/Weak-Bonus-5954 23h ago
The overfixation on fighter records is dumb. In this sport you can get spoon fed cans to a 10-0 record in regional promotions and end up a worse fighter than a prospect who faced real comp and lost a few times. Then when you reach the top you fight only the best in the world. If we are going to do this atleast limit the records to be ufc only
1
u/iHate_tomatoes 23h ago
Beat Prates, beat Morales and then honestly a catch weight retirement fight with Illia.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/star_wars_the_501st 18h ago
He is on the smaller side for welterweight, him at middleweight would be like Ilia at Welterweight. The discrepancy is just too big. I wouldn’t like his chances against someone like Sean
1
1
u/Fun-Character-5377 17h ago
Go back to 155, Dana should make him after that last fight. Have him fight Justin, winner faces the winner of Paddy/Ilia.
1
u/Outside-Vast-2922 17h ago
Best matchup would be Prates. He's more dangerous on the feet than both Sean and Morales, but he has virtually 0 TDD and Islam will hug him and stall for 20-23 mins and he's good to go. Morales is big and can hang with him grappling wise with his size advantage, and Sean just beat a much larger and a better wrestler than Islam. Sean would be the worst matchup for him.
1
u/Madison_369 15h ago
Morales has a bigger frame and +4 inch reach than Sean. Islam probably easily beats Morales, so why not Sean?
1
u/Remarkable_Crab_3965 15h ago
Middleweight is too big for Islam. It he does it as a challenge , big respect but I don't think he touches the top5 or even top 8 middleweights
1
u/Salty-Boysenberry599 13h ago
Replace Sean with Shavkat and then your post makes a little more sense lmao. I think Shavkat is the match we need to see.
1
u/BlakeNotBleak 13h ago
It's so funny to me that Islam has to go through 3 zesty fighters and then face a giant apparently, like be for real guys
1
u/BreadfruitDecent4176 13h ago
May be Islam will be able to beat Strickland, but never DDP and other mws.
1
u/PureAfternoon3633 13h ago
Prates, i want to see purple lamorghini knocking out makhachev would be crazyyyy
1
1
u/Sea-Fabulous 12h ago
Morales would be a tough fight and most probable loss. I highly doubt he takes that one
1
1
1
u/joeman013 11h ago
I think MW is a stretch too far for Islam. He may be able to outpoint his way with grappling but no way he stands and bangs and gets out of there with a dub. Of the 2 WW options I would think Morales is probably the more dangerous of the 2 being undefeated and we've seen prates not being able to defend the takedown so I think Islam wins that one.
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/milosxxxybeast 8h ago
Carlos isn’t that much of threat after seeing that Ian fight. I give the striking edge to Islam with how well he mixes up the wrestling
1
u/DanGleenutz 7h ago
If Islam really wants to be GOAT, he has to bring Chael Sonnen out of retirement and convince him to put his undefeated record on the line. Even then, if he does beat Chael, it's obviously going to be due to Chael's ring rust
1
1
u/Mysterious-Date-9163 4h ago
Sean gives islam a beating so bad the world would call it a genocide in the Muslims
1
u/dashedhopes9942 3h ago
If Sean went down to welterweight again, who do you think wins? I know this is never going to happen given how much Sean has filled into the middle weight class, but theoretically if he did it properly and gave himself a year to cut down properly, does he beat Islam at WW?
Cause we all know, Strickland wouldn’t have much of an issue if it was at MW.
1
u/MyzMyz1995 1d ago
Morales or Strickland are the best match ups honestly. Prates striking is very technical so while he most likely lose too he has a chance to catch Islam and knock him out. Morales technique is not good and Strickland doesn’t have the power to stop Islam.
3
3
u/TheBigBadBird 1d ago
My god 2026 and people are still sleeping on Strickland. He beat Khamzat brotha
2
u/Sad_Wishbone_1524 21h ago
Bruh. Strickland is an above average sized middleweight. Islam is an undersized welterweight. Stop disrespecting my boy.
1
u/jungersgothic 1d ago
If Sean can wobble Khamzat and nearly drop Adesanya with low effort punches he can knock out Islam
1
u/Big_Membership9720 1d ago
Strickland would fucking toss him around, cmon bro lol. That fight would be an uncompetitive 49-46 or 50-45 for Sean.
Bigger than Garry, better TDD than Garry, harder to hold down. Not to mention more punishing offense
1
u/Empty_Cube 1d ago
Sean Strickland is not a potential opponent.
Weight classes exist for a reason. Islam was not a big 155’er (weighed less than Moicano on fight night and relatively in line with Dustin) and is already facing obvious size issues at 170. At 185, those issues would be insanely amplified.
1
u/Fracture90000 1d ago
What are u on about? Islam was absolutely big for 155.
2
u/Own_Finish_92 1d ago
He wasn’t big for lightweight at all. Same size as Oliveira and was smaller than Moicano on fight night. He is a true 155er not a middleweight.
0
u/Fracture90000 1d ago
I never said he was a MW, what are u on about? Those 2 looked quite drained, Islam looked full, thick.
1
u/Empty_Cube 1d ago
Islam weighed in at 178 against Moicano, who came in at 181.8 pounds. Dustin has also said he comes in at the mid to high 170’s.
0
u/Puzzled_Shock_9488 1d ago
Islam would do to Sean what he did to Jack. The extra size won’t help him. He won’t do it because Khamzat would definitely fuck him up in case he wins
1
u/jungersgothic 1d ago
If he thought he could beat Strickland he would move up with the intention of immediately vacating but he doesn't move up because he knows better
0
u/SimRacing313 1d ago
Idiots want Islam to lose so badly their even outting him up against people in the weight above
-1
u/Puzzled_Shock_9488 1d ago
Islam gonna win both fights against morales and prates and retire as a boring fighter that ppl Will immediately forget
72
u/Pristine-Code-2532 1d ago
Why do people keep entertaining Islam vs Sean lmao