The MMA universe is on fire after Khamzat Chimaev, one of the sport’s most feared fighters, dropped his verdict on the upcoming October super-fight in Abu Dhabi between Islam Makachev and Jack Dela Madalena. What he said has split fans, shaken fighters, and raised the stakes of what was already shaping up to be a collision of titans.
Chimaev, with his trademark intensity, warned the world that this isn’t just another fight — it’s the kind of showdown that can “make or break legacies.” On one hand, Islam Makachev, the lightweight king stepping up to welterweight, carries with him the crushing weight of Dagestani dominance and the dream of becoming a two-division legend. On the other, Jack Dela Madalena, the Australian striking phenom, has been sharpening his weapons for years, waiting for the moment to dismantle the aura of invincibility that surrounds Dagestani grapplers.
“It’s a tough fight, but I lean a little more towards Islam,” Chimaev admitted, highlighting Makachev’s otherworldly grappling. But he didn’t stop there. In a chilling warning, he added: “If Jack survives the takedowns… he can end it with his fists. He has the power to shut anyone’s lights out.” Those words, coming from Chimaev, have rattled the entire community.
The reaction has been volcanic. Former champ Robert Whittaker admitted that “nobody knows how Islam’s body will react to welterweight — this could be greatness, or disaster.” Gilbert Burns has voiced the opposite view, calling the move up in weight “the smartest decision of his career,” while Dustin Poirier laid it out bluntly: “Islam must dominate early. If not, Jack will take over.”
The tension escalates when you add Balal Muhammad’s take: “Jack isn’t coming alone — he’s been training with Volkanovski, and that’s a nightmare scenario for any Dagestani fighter.” Suddenly, what looked like a straightforward clash of styles has transformed into a high-stakes chess match where one mistake could mean total collapse.
The MMA world has now drawn battle lines: Team Islam vs. Team Jack. Social media is boiling over, with fans arguing about whether Makachev will crush Jack with suffocating control, or whether Jack will carve through him with surgical violence. Clips of their training, sparring rumors, and face-off predictions are spreading like wildfire, fueling the hype to unprecedented levels.
And hanging over it all is Chimaev’s ominous prophecy: this fight will not just decide a winner — it will decide the very balance of power between the Dagestani grapplers and the new wave of striking assassins.
October in Abu Dhabi is no longer just another UFC card. It is the battlefield where reputations will burn, where the next king of welterweight might be crowned, and where the sport itself could be redefined. Will Islam Makachev walk out as a two-division destroyer? Or will Jack Dela Madalena shock the world and bury the Dagestani dynasty under a storm of fists?
The countdown to war has begun. And as Chimaev’s words echo across the fight world, one truth is undeniable: this will be the bloodiest, most unpredictable fight of the year.
