UFC 315 Fallout: Islam Makhachev Eyes Welterweight Gold Amid Brady-Garry Shakeup
Jack Della Maddalena’s victory over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 didn’t just crown a new welterweight champion—it ignited a storm across the entire division. With one clean win, JDM cracked open the door for lightweight king Islam Makhachev to chase double-champ glory, and the echoes reached all the way to Dagestan. Della Maddalena welcomed the idea: “Islam deserves the shot if he wants to step up.” But not everyone is on board, especially rising contender Sean Brady.
“If [Islam] is gonna move up, then me and Ian are fighting. I know that’s the fight to make. That’s just the way I see it.”
Who’s down for Sean Brady x Ian Machado Garry? 👀 pic.twitter.com/GfEfPBjpM9
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 12, 2025
Following his upset win over Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 255, Brady is firmly back in the title conversation. But as Islam’s potential leap to 170 becomes more real, Brady expressed concerns over division logjams. “If he moves up, is he staying there? Or are we just holding up two divisions?” Brady asked, highlighting the confusion Makhachev’s ambitions could bring. He argued that Islam should continue dominating 155, especially since his resume includes two fights against Alexander Volkanovski, with top challengers like Dustin Poirier and Ilia Topuria still waiting in line.
Brady wasn’t even supposed to face Edwards. Originally, Edwards was set to fight JDM, while Belal Muhammad was scheduled to clash with Shavkat Rakhmonov. But Rakhmonov’s injury reshuffled the card, pushing Muhammad into the title shot and matching Brady with Edwards instead. Even on short notice, Brady stunned fans by submitting Edwards in the fourth round with a guillotine choke—an emphatic win that demands title consideration.
Meanwhile, Ian Garry re-entered the title picture by defeating Carlos Prates and has now called for a championship shot of his own. Brady wants to face Garry next, but the Irish star is aiming directly at the gold.
The division is now in chaos: Rakhmonov is injured, Makhachev may move up, and contenders like Brady and Garry are circling. Dana White faces a puzzle with multiple moving pieces, all while fans and fighters alike speculate on how Makhachev will fare at 170.
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson offered a cautious take. Speaking to Submission Radio, he said, “Those are big boys at welterweight… I think Islam is going to have a tough time.” Thompson noted that even though Makhachev is an elite grappler, the physical demands at 170 could be overwhelming. While acknowledging Makhachev’s skills, Thompson added that JDM has already faced top wrestlers like Belal Muhammad and handled them well.
Makhachev is undoubtedly dominant at lightweight, but stepping into the welterweight arena could be his toughest challenge yet. If he’s serious about staying in the division, a bout with JDM could be legendary—but it comes with serious risks. As the 170-pound division continues to evolve, fans are left wondering: can Makhachev truly conquer a second division, or is he stepping into territory that even his talents can’t tame?