Joe Rogan Believes Islam Makhachev Could Retire After UFC 330
Could Islam Makhachev pull a Khabib Nurmagomedov if he beats Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 and ride off into the sunset?
UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes that Islam Makhachev might retire after winning his upcoming fight at UFC 330, echoing the path of his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. The two fighters share a close bond, having trained together at American Kickboxing Academy under Javier Mendez. While Nurmagomedov hung up his gloves in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record, Makhachev has been following a similar trajectory.
With a 34-year-old record of 28-1 and 17 wins out of 18 in the UFC, Makhachev has already won world championships in two weight classes. If Makhachev defeats Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, Rogan suggests that the 34-year-old might choose to retire and coach instead, following in the footsteps of his mentor. Should Makhachev decide to retire, the welterweight title would become vacant, and Rogan believes that Michael Morales and Carlos Prates should be considered for the undisputed title.
Prates, currently ranked No. 1 with a 24-7 record, has been on a three-fight win streak, while Morales, ranked No. 3 with a 19-0 record, has also secured wins against Sean Brady, Gilbert Burns, and Neil Magny.
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