UFC President Dana White recently addressed the much-discussed possibility of a superfight between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev, emphasizing that it remains purely speculative at this stage. Topuria secured the lightweight championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, but White stressed that the matchup with Makhachev will only become relevant if Makhachev captures the welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena.
At present, Makhachev’s pursuit of the welterweight belt means the highly anticipated Topuria fight is not yet on the definitive horizon, as White pointed out. He expressed frustration with the media’s fixation on hypothetical fights during his recent appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST.
Dana White Voices Skepticism Over Hypothetical Matchups
White underscored the uncertainty surrounding potential bouts, cautioning against premature speculation.
“Another massive fight would be Ilia vs. Islam… Well, the other thing is that Islam moves up, and obviously if Islam wins the title, you know, you immediately have a super fight with him and Ilia,”
he said.
He further explained his reluctance to engage in speculation, saying,
“You have to see, it’s one thing to sit around. It’s what the media always tries to do, sit around and talk about these fights before they happen, or, you know, hypothetically speaking. I don’t like hypothetical. These are options that we have if things play out that way, but you never know what’s gonna happen.”
UFC Analyst Predicts Topuria’s Edge Over Makhachev
UFC analyst Din Thomas shared his perspective on the potential fight, asserting that Ilia Topuria’s skill set makes him a formidable contender across multiple weight classes. Following Topuria’s knockout of Charles Oliveira to claim the lightweight title, Thomas believes his combination of power and technique could effectively challenge fighters at welterweight, including Islam Makhachev.
Thomas highlighted Makhachev’s previous difficulties against shorter fighters, citing the struggle during his earlier bout with Alexander Volkanovski as a critical factor influencing his prediction. Speaking with Daniel Cormier on YouTube, Thomas stated:
“I think he beats Islam. I always thought he would beat Islam. Here’s why. Because Islam, I think Islam had struggled with the Volkanovski fight. The very first Volkanovski fight, he struggled with getting underneath Alexander Volkanovski. Islam struggled to get underneath him to be able to take him down. He’s gonna have a hard time getting underneath Topuria. He’s gonna have a hard time getting underneath Topuria to take him down. If you don’t take him down, he’s getting knocked out.”
—Din Thomas, UFC Analyst
Implications for the Future of UFC Lightweight and Welterweight Titles
The potential clash between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev carries substantial implications for the UFC’s lightweight and welterweight divisions. Makhachev’s current focus on capturing welterweight gold from Jack Della Maddalena means the superfight could only materialize if he successfully advances. Until such developments occur, the matchup remains a speculative scenario influenced by multiple unpredictable factors.
Given Dana White’s cautious stance and the expert analysis from UFC insiders, fans and media alike should temper expectations and await concrete results before this highly anticipated fight enters official planning stages. The outcome of Makhachev’s welterweight pursuit will be a pivotal moment determining whether the UFC’s lightweight king Ilia Topuria will face him for a potentially historic superfight.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Ilia Topuria Turkish?
A. Ilia Topuria, born on January 21, 1997, is a professional mixed martial artist. He is from both Georgia and Spain. Topuria fights in the UFC’s Lightweight division and holds the title of UFC Lightweight Champion.