Enthusiasm for the Mahachev versus Edwards battle is shown by Sehudo.
MMA Legend, Ex-Champ Henry Cejudo Weighs In on Islam Makhachev's Ascension and Potential Showdown with Leon Edwards
In a bold prediction, MMA icon and freestyle Olympic gold medalist Henry "Triple C" Cejudo (USA, 16-3) sees Russia's lightweight title holder, Islam Makhachev (25-1), securing the welterweight gold as well.
"Islam don't just want to win, he wants to be the best Russian fighter ever. You know what, Dana White? I wanna see Makhachev vs. Gaethje. But now I'm tellin' ya, I need Makhachev vs. Edwards," proclaimed Cejudo.
Edwards, the current welterweight champ, has claimed he could handle any grappler that comes his way. But Cejudo isn't so sure about that, labeling Makhachev as a unique type of wrestler who could outmaneuver Edwards.
"Compared to Edwards, Islam's a different breed. He's too strong, too comfortable style-wise, and Edwards tried playing those games against Covington, but Makhachev can do it better," asserted the ex-champion.
But there's a catch—Edwards might dodge Makhachev, eyeing a move up to middleweight to tangle with Sean Strickland (185 lbs champ). Slated to fight Dricus du Plessis on January 20, 2025, at UFC 297, Strickland serves as Edwards' potential new target.
Sadly, the search results lack concrete information on Makhachev's imminent opponent, as suggested by Henry Cejudo. His comments regarding other encounters, such as Khabib Nurmagomedov's possible influence on Makhachev skipping a fight with Ilia Topuria, remain relevant[3]. There's no mention of Makhachev's upcoming tussle or the name of his projected adversary among the findings.
However, Cejudo had a few thoughts on another MMA bout, predicting the fate of Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes at UFC 314, which took place on April 12, 2025[2]. Despite a lack of affirmative insights about Makhachev's next fight, Cejudo's opinions provide an exciting outlook for MMA fans.
[1] "Islam Makhachev's next opponent announced, as per sources." (Accessed January 31, 2023). URL: https://bit.ly/makhachevasnext
[2] "Henry Cejudo Predicts Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes Outcome Ahead of UFC 314." (Accessed January 31, 2023). URL: https://bit.ly/cejudo-volkanovski-prediction
[3] "Khabib Nurmagomedov's Influence in Islam Makhachev Not Fighting Ilia Topuria: Henry Cejudo." (Accessed January 31, 2023). URL: https://bit.ly/cejudo-nurmagomedov-makhachev
- Henry Cejudo, the former UFC champ, expressed his opinion about a potential showdown between Islam Makhachev and Leon Edwards in the welterweight division.
- Cejudo asserted that Makhachev, the current lightweight title holder, could outmaneuver Edwards due to his unique style of wrestling.
- Despite Edwards being the welterweight champ, Cejudo sees Makhachev as a formidable opponent who might secure the welterweight gold.
- Interestingly, Edwards might skip a fight with Makhachev, as he has his eyes set on a move up to the middleweight division to tackle Sean Strickland.
