Cormier questions why dominant champions like Makhachev consider retirement so young

Recently, Javier Mendez, caput trainer of Islam Makhachev, revealed that the existent fig 1 pound-for-pound combatant successful the satellite whitethorn not person galore fights left, saying that helium believes that Makhachev has astir 3 much fights near successful his career. For Daniel Cormier, the quality stirred up a batch of emotions.

- Javier Mendez besides said that Islam Makhachev could person 3 much fights, including 1 against Jack Delle Maddalena. That's wherever our attraction should beryllium focused, - Cormier said connected his YouTube channel.

- How is it imaginable that we person the feeling again that different ascendant champion is reasoning astir retiring? Why? He's young. He's a satellite champion. He's dominating. He's getting a accidental to go a champion successful 2 divisions. Why are we going done this again?

Makhachev is expected to vacate the loop before

Although helium is technically inactive the lightweight champion, Makhachev is expected to vacate the loop earlier the rubric combat betwixt Ilya Topuria and Charles Oliveira takes spot astatine UFC 317. Makhachev volition determination up a value people to combat Jack Delle Maddalena for the welterweight rubric aboriginal this year, and each of those changes person made Cormier consciousness a spot nostalgic.

- I deliberation we're successful a play successful combat sports close present that, to maine arsenic a fan, is precise sad. I don't judge for a 2nd that thing is going to change. There's going to beryllium caller guys who volition prime up wherever these guys near off, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira. There's ever going to beryllium idiosyncratic new. But erstwhile everyone starts leaving, it's bittersweet for a fan. Especially a caller instrumentality who got into MMA due to the fact that of everything these fighters person done for years successful that division.

- Islam lone has 3 much fights. Why? Why?! It scares me. Because I know, knowing these guys, if helium says helium has 3 much fights, and if helium truly means it... The lone anticipation is that it's not coming straight from him yet. If Islam comes retired and tells us, 'I person 3 much fights,' we should each beryllium like, 'We've got to focus.' Because you cognize this is simply a peculiar time. The peculiar reign that Islam has created successful the lightweight division.

- Why? Why would idiosyncratic successful their mid-thirties see leaving a athletics they dominate? We saw Khabib (Nurmagomedov) bash it and ne'er looked back.

- That should interest america arsenic MMA fans. There are truthful galore much fights we privation to see. We privation to spot him against JDM, we privation him against (Kamaru) Usman, and we privation him against Ilya Topuria. That's however tiny a model this feline has if helium leaves aft conscionable 3 much fights. Crazy.