Story byDanny Segura, MMA JunkieTue, February 3, 2026 at 11:50 PM UTC·2 min readIslam Makhachev has been persistent in the last few months about wanting a specific name for his first title defense as UFC welterweight champion, and top contender Michael Morales has a feeling as to why that's been the case. Makhachev, who won the title at 170 pounds back in November after vacating his belt at lightweight, has been pushing for a fight against former UFC welterweight champion and pound-for-pound great Kamaru Usman. Although there's no denying Usman's achievements and legacy, many have questioned his merit as a contender given he's only fought once at 170 pounds in almost three years and is 1-3 in his past four outings. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat's why Morales (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) finds Makhachev's interest in the matchup surprising."They do know Usman has a lot of injuries, he's big, who knows if he can make weight like he used to?" Morales told MMA Junkie in Spanish. "We don't know, but perhaps that's what they want.