Team Islam Makhachev Pushes for Perfectly Timed Super Fight with Ilia Topuria After UFC 322 Leak: 'This Is the No. 1 Fight to Make'

Former long-time 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev and his team previously overlooked Ilia Topuria as a legitimate contender for the Dagestani’s crown. As a consequence, ‘El Matador’ bagged the vacant lightweight crown at UFC 317 and beat Charles Oliveira after Makhachev moved to 170 pounds. Meanwhile, the Dagestani is eyeing his debut at welterweight, to happen sometime later this year.

Makhachev is known for being a decent pay-per-view draw, especially in UFC’s marquee Abu Dhabi October cards. Fans initially thought that the Dagestani would fight on this card as part of Jack Della Maddalena’s first welterweight title defense. While JDM had hoped for a title fight in Perth, that card was downgraded to a Fight Night, shifting the spotlight.

But according to a recent interview with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev could return at an unannounced PPV slot at Madison Square Garden, potentially in November, which is naturally going to be UFC 322.

If Makhachev can dominate and capture gold at 170lbs, it would set the stage for a blockbuster champ vs. champ clash with Topuria. As head coach Javier Mendez put it, such a showdown would carry “roof-shattering” stakes.

It’s the number one fight…It is! The other one was Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall, but right now, if Islam wins…the fight to make is Topuria vs. Islam. I like, I like… what [Ilia] he been doing right now, He’s doing a good job at getting people to want to watch the fight. The more Ilia does, the more people want to see this fight…The first thing Islam wanted was a legacy fight, he wanted the welterweight title. Now if we win the welterweight title, we can go down or he can come up. That’s what I say, but it’s not happening if the UFC doesn’t like it. But we need to win first.

Javier Mendez to MMAJunkie’s Danny Segura in Spanish, for HablemosMMA

UFC executives have reportedly put a strong, restrictive pause on the ‘champ champ’ scenario. But currently, ‘El Matador’ is doing everything right with the combat sports promotion. The Spaniard is more than an icon in the making and the only fighter to make two-weight champ on undefeated digits (17-0). Topuria is also an early tap for a Spain PPV headliner debut and a niche market segment.

Team Makhachev, including ‘The Eagle’ and coach Mendez, wanted more ballot fights or statement wins from Topuria at lightweight. This was before Topuria had won the lightweight crown and relinquished the featherweight title. But as the world knows, Ilia Topuria made the biggest of leaps, fighting for gold like he said he would, and capped off his cockiness with a vicious knockout at the end of UFC 317.

The promotion’s #1 Pound-for-pound, the Spaniard himself has wished for a pound-for-pound war with the previous champ, given ‘champ champ’ might no longer be on the cards. If he wins the 170lbs gold at UFC 322 and gets his MSG wish granted, Makhachev could make the case for it. Depending on how he wins it, he might even overtake the Men’s Pound-for-pound rankings.

In the meantime, after a 15-fight streak and 4 defenses at 155 pounds, he is certainly a favorite to register a win against ‘JDM’. Topuria himself also needs to make a maiden defense of the lightweight gold as he has promised he won’t leave the state of the division stalled, chasing Makhachev. There’s one particular name checking that stipulation and making a case for the strap, more than others.

Paddy Pimblett snub predicted, as top lightweight ’70 percent’ sure he fights Ilia Topuria next

Not that long ago, #2 lightweight on the UFC rankings, Arman Tsarukyan, made a legit, clear case for gold. However, per Ilia Topuria, he failed to make use of his contender status against Makhachev when he failed to make that booking in January earlier this year. For the unversed, Tsarukyan incurred a back injury, cutting for the UFC 311 title challenge, and pulled out.