Could UFC 322 be Islam Makhachev’s unexpected swan song?

On Saturday, Makhachev will enter Madison Square Garden in New York City. He’s hoping to walk out of the historic venue with the UFC Welterweight Championship. The titleholder is Jack Della Maddalena, and many experts believe the champion will be a stern test for Makhachev.

Makhachev’s most recent opponent, Renato Moicano, recently spoke to MMAFighting.com. He laid out a scenario where Makhachev is victorious at the end of UFC 322 but decides to retire from pro MMA competition.

“Let’s suppose he beats Jack Della Maddalena. He’s going to look for someone that’s more favorable and see if the UFC does that. If not, bye,” Moicano said. “And if he wins one more, also bye. And he’s right, can’t stay too much longer. It’s like I say — I did a video about Jose Aldo and got a lot of hate. ‘Oh, you’re talking about Jose Aldo’s legacy.’ As a fan, I didn’t like that he came back. He could have ended his career a better way.”

Makhachev recently turned 34 years old. He’s already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest lightweights in UFC history. He set a new record for the most successful UFC lightweight title defenses before vacating the gold.

Moicano said he understands that fighters stick around for different reasons. He believes someone with Makhachev’s legacy would be best served retiring sooner rather than later.

“Now, if you have a big legacy, if you’re undefeated, brother, win the belt and walk away because if you continue fighting, you’ll lose,” Moicano said. “Do like Khabib [Nurmagomedov], take the belt and let people say whatever they want. Brother, go live the rest of your life as an undefeated champion. That’s what I think.”

Will it be Maddalena or Makhachev who leaves UFC 322 with the welterweight gold? Fans will find out on Saturday, and you can count on BJPenn.com to provide live coverage. Stick with us on our homepage for live results, video highlights, and MMA fighter reactions throughout the UFC 322 card.