UFC analyst to Islam Makhachev, Leon Edwards: ‘Stay in your divisions’

Paul Felder will not be a fan of fighters chasing dual-champion standing so early of their title reigns.

Felder particularly has a difficulty with UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) expressing curiosity in shifting as much as problem welterweight champion Leon Edwards (22-3 MMA, 14-2 UFC). Edwards additionally talked about shifting as much as middleweight to seize a second belt, however Felder wish to see each of them rule their divisions first.

“We established that this (Muhammad) is the No. 1 contender, you’re (Edwards) additionally saying that you just wish to break Georges St-Pierre’s file, however then we acquired Islam Makhachev on the market saying he ought to be subsequent for the welterweight belt,” Felder stated on his “Round-Up” show with Michael Chiesa. “Guys, keep in your freaking divisions, reign over your division. Can we get dominant champions earlier than you all begin desirous to struggle for different belts?

“It didn’t was once like this. The blokes that did this to start with – clearly Conor is an exception. He did it; it was craziness. He was a celebrity. (Daniel Cormier) did it as a result of he earned it and was a 205’er. Amanda Nunes earned it. Now it’s similar to everybody and their mom needs to have the ability to be a double champ. And it’s like, ‘Properly, how about you get a complete lot of title defenses first, then you definately go and step up?’”

Edwards and Makhachev are each recent off title defenses. Edwards retained his title in a lackluster unanimous determination win over Colby Covington at UFC 296, whereas Makhachev knocked out featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in Spherical 1 at UFC 294.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 296.