Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun

Paul Felder sounds off on UFC champs Islam Makhachev, Leon Edwards: ‘Stay in your freaking divisions’

Paul Felder is not a fan of fighters chasing dual-champion status so early in their title reigns.

Felder specifically has an issue with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) expressing interest in moving up to challenge welterweight champion Leon Edwards (22-3 MMA, 14-2 UFC). Edwards also mentioned moving up to middleweight to capture a second belt, but Felder would like to see both of them rule their divisions first.

“We established that this (Muhammad) is the No. 1 contender, you’re (Edwards) also saying that you want to break Georges St-Pierre’s record, but then we got Islam Makhachev out there saying he should be next for the welterweight belt,” Felder said on his “Round-Up” show with Michael Chiesa. “Guys, stay in your freaking divisions, reign over your division. Can we get dominant champions before you all start wanting to fight for other belts?

“It didn’t used to be like this. The guys that did this in the beginning – obviously Conor is an exception. He did it; it was craziness. He was a superstar. (Daniel Cormier) did it because he earned it and was a 205’er. Amanda Nunes earned it. Now it’s just like everyone and their mother wants to be able to be a double champ. And it’s like, ‘Well, how about you get a whole lot of title defenses first, then you go and step up?'”

Edwards and Makhachev are both fresh off title defenses. Edwards retained his title in a lackluster unanimous decision win over Colby Covington at UFC 296, whereas Makhachev knocked out featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in Round 1 at UFC 294.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.