Islam Makhachev lays out 3-fight plan, wants Justin Gaethje in June

Islam Makhachev expects to be busy for the next 12 months if all goes according to plan.

On Wednesday, the reigning UFC lightweight champion called his shot on social media—well, three shots actually—writing that he plans to defend his title against Justin Gaethje in June, head to Madison Square Garden in New York to face the winner of a recently announced fight between Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, and then defend again in February 2025.

The UFC has yet to formally announce its plans for June, but Makhachev suggested that he fight Gaethje on June 8. Former two-division champion Conor McGregor recently declared that he expects to fight Michael Chandler on June 29 to cap off the UFC’s International Fight Week, so it appears that fans will be treated to two pay-per-view events that month.

Makhachev is coming off of a spectacular first-round head kick knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294. Volkanovski stepped in on short-notice as a replacement for an injured Oliveira, but Makhachev sent the featherweight champion packing a second time.

Gaethje also delivered a memorable head kick in his most recent fight, defeating Dustin Poirier for the “BMF” belt at UFC 291 this past July. Prior to the fight, Gaethje said that he expected the winner of the matchup to receive an undisputed lightweight title shot.

Oliveira gets another chance to earn a rematch with Makhachev, the man who defeated him at UFC 280 for a vacant lightweight title. “Do Bronx” faces Tsarukyan at UFC 300, with UFC CEO Dana White saying that the winner becomes the new No. 1 contender at 155 pounds. If Makhachev gets his way, Oliveira or Tsarukyan will share the octagon with him at The World’s Most Famous Arena.

Should Makhachev log two successful title defenses, and then compete in February of next year as planned, he’ll have fought in six championship bouts since October 2022.