Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) reacts after defeating Renato Moicano (blue gloves) in a lightweight title fight during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Islam Makhachev Gives His Take On Ilia Topuria Fighting For The Lightweight Title

Islam Makhachev shares his thoughts on Ilia Topuria's potential fight for the lightweight title, adding fuel to the competition!

Champions calling out other champions is nothing new in the UFC. It’s almost a rite of passage for any fighter looking to cement their legacy. Fans have seen it with Conor McGregor, Henry Cejudo, and Amanda Nunes. Making history as a two-division champion puts you in rare company. But not everyone gets the green light for these super fights.

And lately, UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has been banging on Islam Makhachev’s door, hoping to add the lightweight strap to his collection. The problem is that Makhachev isn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat.

Also Read: ‘He’s Not Conor McGregor’ – Paddy Pimblett Weighs In On Ilia Topuria Moving Up

The Champ’s Conditions

Islam Makhachev was clearly frustrated by Topuria’s persistent callouts. You can almost hear the eye-roll in his voice. The lightweight king has already given two shots to former featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, and he is not eager to make it a hat-trick with Topuria. But he hasn’t completely shut the door either. Speaking to Match TV, Makhachev laid out his terms.

“I’m not going to give him a shot right away because he hasn’t done all the work he was supposed to in his weight class. There are still contenders he needs to beat, but he doesn’t want to cut weight anymore. Let him move up and earn his shot, and we will definitely fight.”

🚨 Islam Makhachev says he does NOT want to fight Ilia Topuria right away

“I'm not going to give him a chance right away, he didn't do all the work he had to do in his weight class. There are contenders who he must defeat, let him earn a chance, and we will fight”

via @MatchTV pic.twitter.com/wNt11t7UMI
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) February 13, 2025

In other words, Ilia Topuria needs to defend his belt more than once before dreaming of a second title. Whether it be in his own featherweight division or someone in the lightweight division. And one contender has thrown his hat in the mix to become that test for the 145 pound champion.

Ilia Topuria’s Challenger At 155

UFC Veteran and three time title contender Dustin Poirier has shown his interest in welcoming Ilia Topuria to lightweight. This fight has huge implications for both men. For Poirier, this will probably be his swan song, a last fight against someone of high-level skillset. For Topuria, this will be a chance to prove that he is a legit contender for Islam Makhachev’s throne at 155.

👀 Dustin Poirier vs. Ilia Topuria could be on the cards if Topuria moves up to lightweight.

The boxing would be crazy in this matchup! pic.twitter.com/il9TSHW3r8
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 10, 2024

What’s Next for Both Champions?

While this debate rages on, both champions have other matters to attend to. Makhachev just defended his title against Renato Moicano at UFC 311, bringing his defense count to four – breaking Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record at lightweight. He is now openly talking about moving up to welterweight, or even middleweight, seeking new challenges as the lightweight division thins out.

Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria needs to focus on defending his own territory. The featherweight division remains stacked with killers like Diego Lopes, Movsar Evloev, and the ever-dangerous Yair Rodriguez. Maybe after a few more defenses, that lightweight shot won’t seem so far-fetched. For now though, it seems both men will be staying in their lanes,at least until the right business opportunity comes along.

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez -Imagn Images)

Dustin Poirier

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!