Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria remain in each other’s orbit, but should that confrontation ever happen, it won’t be on the White House lawn.
Talk a fight between the two UFC stars has brewed for over a year now and with Makhachev and Topuria both holding UFC titles—Makhachev at 170 pounds, Topuria at 155 pounds—it remains a hot topic among MMA fans. It was Topuria who claimed a vacant lightweight championship when Makhachev moved up a division to chase a second title, which he did successfully at UFC 322 when he won a lopsided decision over Jack Della Maddalena.
Though Makhachev and Topuria have several worthy challengers in their own weight classes waiting for them, a superfight could be made if the matchmakers decide to pair up the pound-for-pound greats. If it happens, though, Makhachev has ruled out a UFC White House meeting.
“Yes, I think it definitely won’t be at the White House because he already has opponents lined up and the UFC isn’t interested in that fight right now,” Makhachev told Ushatayka (Russian translation via Championship Rounds).
Makhachev has emerged as arguably the No. 1 fighter in all of MMA, regardless of weight class, on the strength of a 28-1 record and 16 straight victories dating back to 2015. He won the UFC lightweight championship in 2022 and successfully defended it four consecutive times (a promotional record) before jumping to welterweight and defeating Della Maddalena for his title.
Waiting in the wings for Makhachev are former welterweight king Kamaru Usman, the undefeated Michael Morales, and top contender Ian Machado Garry, among others. Makhachev and Usman share management and have frequently discussed putting a fight together, but as of now, nothing is official. Should Makhachev fight at UFC White House, it will likely be against one of those names, and not Topuria.
“We’re still discussing an approximate date for my fight,” Makhachev said. “Even if it’s not at the White House, it’ll be around that time. I’m not ruling out the White House option either. As of today, that’s the most likely scenario.”
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