Does Makhachev Earn a Title Shot with Win Over Bobby Green?

Does Makhachev Earn a Title Shot with Win Over Bobby Green?

Timothy JamesTimothy James
February 25, 2022

Does Makhachev Earn a Title Shot with Win Over Bobby Green?

Islam Makhachev wants the winner of Oliveira vs. Gaethje, but some fans believe a win over Bobby Green doesn’t get him there.

Does Makhachev Earn a Title Shot with Win Over Bobby Green? | Inside Fighting

There’s no denying that Khabib’s protege and confidant Islam Makhachev is one of the most promising fighters in the lightweight division. It’s been known for many years that Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, trained both fighters from a young age and planned for Islam to take the reigns after Khabib retired from the sport.

It’s easy to see that these two men, who consider each other brothers, are cut from the same cloth. And that’s not just because they have similar tastes in how to groom their facial hair. They’re both sambo masters with relentless forward pressure and smothering grappling.

Many in the MMA world feel that it is only a matter of time before Islam becomes the lightweight champion of the UFC, but his detractors have a common refrain: he hasn’t beat enough ranked fighters to warrant a title shot.

It is true that, to this point, Makhachev has only beaten one opponent in the top 10 of the lightweight division. That was Dan Hooker, who came in as a late replacement before being promptly finished by Islam in the first round of their UFC 267 bout. However, it’s also true that Makhachev has been scheduled to fight ranked opponents multiple times, only to have them pull out due to injury.

Makhachev’s original opponent for that UFC 267 showdown was Rafael Dos Anjos, currently ranked 7th in the lightweight division (per rankingmma.com). In tomorrow’s main event, he was originally scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush, currently ranked 4th. In back-to-back bouts, Islam’s ranked adversary was replaced last minute.

Coincidentally, both the late replacements came off good performances against Nasrat Haqparast. Both Hooker and Bobby Green were offered to replace Makhachev’s scheduled opponents, and both bravely accepted, justly receiving praise for taking a fight few thought they could win.

Like many were rooting for Hooker to pull off a surprise win, many are pulling for UFC veteran Bobby Green, a fan favorite who’s popularity has been rising. Still, even amongst those rooting for Green, the feeling is that Makhachev will dominate the striker much in the same way he dominated Dan Hooker.

Which has led many fans to ask whether a win over Bobby Green would justify giving a title shot to Islam Makhachev. After all, Green is not even currently in the top 15, let alone the top 10. Still, it isn’t Makhachev’s fault that his opponents have pulled out in back-to-back fights. His management has also claimed that its been particularly to find ranked fighters willing to take on Islam.

Should Makhachev beat Green (he is currently a heavy favorite to do so), it would be his tenth consecutive victory at lightweight. No easy feat in the UFC’s deepest division. It’s worth pointing out that before Charles Oliveira became champion, many fans leveraged a similar criticism against him, stating that his winning streak didn’t have enough ranked opposition.

Makhachev seems confident that he’ll be granted the title shot regardless, predicting that Oliveira will beat Gaethje at UFC 274 in April, matching up Oliveira’s 11 fight win streak against his 10 fight win streak. It’s a fight many diehards would like to witness, since it’s the closest thing fans could get to seeing Oliveira fight Khabib. Some even say it’s a better version of Ferguson vs. Khabib, a fight everyone wanted to see, but nobody got to.

If Makhachev isn’t granted the title shot, perhaps he will have to fight the winner of Rafael Fiziev vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, which is currently targeted for the upcoming UFC 272 card. There’s also the possibility of him being matched up again with Beneil Dariush, who is considered one of the few lightweights in the title picture not named Oliveira, Gaethje, or Makhachev.

Of course, a fight is a fight, and nothing’s guaranteed. Bobby Green has his puncher’s chance, and we’ve already seen some amazing upsets in recent times (see: Pena vs Nunes). It would be a true Cinderella-Man story in the UFC. Some have proposed that Green could set himself up to be the next Jorge Masvidal.

Jorge Masvidal was a veteran with a loyal, but not sizable, fanbase when he exploded in popularity in 2019. After knocking out a surging prospect in Darren Till, he let loose the flying knee heard across the world, knocking out Ben Askren in 5 seconds. Much like Makhachev vs. Green, it was a wrestler vs. striker matchup that nearly everyone was favoring the wrestler to win. Masvidal flipped the script, his popularity soared, and it led to multiple title shots.

Green finds himself in a similar position. Very few are giving him much of a chance, reflected in the betting odds. But it’s a win-win for Green. An extremely short notice loss against one of the best in the division isn’t going to damage his stock; on the contrary, his popularity has only increased for his willingness to take the fight. A win, on the other hand, could potentially launch him into superstardom.

In fact, a win for Green seems so improbable that some have wondered whether a win for Green would grant him the winner of Oliveira vs. Gaethje. He’s not ranked, but if he could pull of a victory against the 3rd ranked lightweight (and the man many consider the best 155er on the planet), on short notice…it’s practically a Hollywood script. After that kind of ascendance, many fans would be clamoring for Green to be granted a chance for UFC gold.

Personally, I think the winner of this fight should get the title shot. Makhachev would have earned it, despite beating only one ranked opponent, through his consistency (much in the same way Olivera earned it through his). Green would have pulled off the improbable in a storybook fashion, the kind that inspires you to get off the couch and do something with your life. Plus, who else is there to fight for the title? Dariush will have to win another fight. So logistically, it makes sense either way.

What do you guys think? Does Islam Makhachev deserve a title shot if he beats Bobby Green at UFC Vegas 49? Does Bobby Green deserve a title shot if he beats Makhachev? Let us know in the comments!

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