Islam Makhachev pushes back on Dana White’s UFC return timeline with hint at earlier fight

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

It’s already been six months since Makhachev last stepped inside the Octagon, but fans could soon see the champion in action again.

The Dagestani will look to defend his belt at 170 pounds for the first time since moving up a division in late 2025.

After back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier, Makhachev became the second two-division champion of Russian descent, after Khabib Nurmagomedov. And after Islam took down Jack Della Maddalena to claim his welterweight title, he was not short on potential challengers.

It hasn’t been confirmed who Makhachev will defend against yet, but Dana White has stated that he’ll be putting his title on the line in August. That said, it appears Makhachev is thinking about a different timeline.

Makhachev pushes back on White’s August timeline

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Ali Abdelaziz hinted that Makhachev would be back in July, even though Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return was already being linked to International Fight Week.

White pushed back on those comments, stating that the welterweight champion wouldn’t return until August. He cited a hand injury that derailed an earlier plan for a White House super-fight against Ilia Topuria.

But it doesn’t appear that Makhachev is aligned with White’s timeline.

Taking to social media, the champion reignited talks of a July comeback.

“(phone emoji) July?” he posted on X.

If Makhachev’s push for a July return gains traction, it could mean changes for McGregor’s rumoured matchup with Max Holloway at UFC 309. The history between McGregor and Makhachev still lingers from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s days, making it unlikely the UFC would book both camps on the same card. Ian Machado Garry is reportedly next in line for a shot after his win over Belal Muhammad last November in Qatar.