Former UFC middleweight champion Shawn Strickland discourages lightweight division titleholder Islam Makhachev from making a foray into his category.
"We fought Islam in the same card once. I like the guy, he's a hell of a dude! It's interesting because Muslims usually don't like me for the shit I say. Islam is a nice guy, but weight classes are invented for a reason. Stay in your division. Yes, you weigh in the neighborhood of 80 pounds, but don't go up another category," Strickland is quoted by MMA Junkie as saying.
As a reminder, Strickland will fight reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312 on Feb. 8 in Sydney, Australia.
