Khabib Nurmagomedov predicts how the UFC lightweight division will play out in 2022
Former longtime UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov predicted how the UFC lightweight division will play out in 2022.
Nurmagomedov was in the corner of his good friend Islam Makhachev when he finished Bobby Green via first-round TKO in the main event of UFC Vegas 49. It was Makhachev’s 10th straight win and it puts him in good standing in the lightweight division, where he is arguably next in line to fight for the belt. The current UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to defend his title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 in May, and Makhachev will most likely fight the winner of the belt after that.
However, it does get a little unclear what would be next after that. In Nurmagomedov’s eyes, however, the lightweight division will play out in a certain way. “The Eagle” believes that Makhachev will fight the winner of Oliveira vs. Gaethje and defeat them, and then he believes that when Beneil Dariush comes back from his broken leg at the end of this year, he will fight Makhachev for the belt when he’s healthy. Dariush has seven straight wins and Nurmagomedov likes his title shot chances.
Here’s what Nurmagomedov told ESPN about the UFC lightweight division following UFC Vegas 49.
“He had a big injury, but at the end of the year (Dariush) is gonna come back, he will be next in line. If he wins one fight, he’s going to be the next line. Beneil going to be there, and Islam is there, Islam has to fight for the end of the tile by the end of this year. If Beneil wins, and Islam wins the title, then I think that in his first title defense, he’s going to fight with Beneil. This is how I see the division is going to move,” Nurmagomedov said.
Do you agree with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his prediction on how the UFC lightweight division will play out in 2022?
