Chael Sonnen says Islam Makhachev's grappling dominance is actually hurting his career. His argument: nobody wants to fight him. Promoters can't sell a fight when the outcome feels predetermined. Being too dominant in one area makes you unmarketable. Which is an insane thing to say about the lightweight champion. But Makhachev's last three fights averaged under seven minutes. Short fights don't build casual fans. The counterargument writes itself — Anderson Silva was dominant and wildly marketable. But Silva knocked people out standing. Makhachev smothers them on the floor. Apparently the method matters more than the result. Sources: - Bloody Elbow: https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/04/02/islam-makhachevs-career-is-suffering-as-a-result-of-his-success-argues-chael-sonnen/