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Dana White Makes Huge Announcement Ahead of UFC 315 on Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated May 8, 2025 8:44 PM ET

UFC 315 is set to take place this Saturday night, and while anticipation was already high for the title fights on the card, the stakes have now risen even further following Thursday’s pre-fight press conferences.

In the main event, Belal Muhammad will defend his welterweight title against rising contender Jack Della Maddalena.

However, the implications go beyond the belt. UFC President and CEO Dana White revealed that the outcome of this fight could influence the next opponent for superstar Ilia Topuria.

According to White, Topuria is expected to face either Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28 in Las Vegas—an announcement that Topuria himself appears to fully support, after sharing similar news on a Spanish program "El Hormiguero" on Thursday.

"There's a lot of moving parts right now, and that's pretty accurate," White revealed.

Dana White confirms that the winner of Belal Muhammad vs Jack Della Maddalena will determine whether Ilia Topuria fights Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira at #UFC317

"There's a lot of moving parts right now, and that's pretty accurate."pic.twitter.com/7JOC5a1WCz
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 8, 2025

The basis for this title fight on Saturday having such major implications for who Ilia Topuria faces next stems from the relationship between Islam Makhachev and Belal Muhammad, who are close friends and unlikely to fight each other.

That said, if Jack Della Maddalena pulls off the upset and wins the welterweight title, Makhachev would likely move up to 170 pounds to challenge him—leaving Charles Oliveira as the likely opponent for Topuria.

If Muhammad wins, however, it could set up the highly anticipated fight many fans have been hoping for: Makhachev vs. Topuria. Both are currently considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and their records support that status.

Topuria holds a perfect 16-0 record, while Makhachev is 27-1 and the current UFC lightweight champion. Topuria, who recently vacated his featherweight belt, has made his intentions clear from that start that he wants to challenge Islam for lightweight gold.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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