Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Islam Makhachev (blue gloves) before his fight against Charles Oliveira during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

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Islam Makhachev Welcomes Potential Superfight With Ilia Topuria At UFC White House!

Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Islam Makhachev (blue gloves) before his fight against Charles Oliveira during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

Championship legacies get defined by the quality of opponents a fighter defeats during their reign. Some champions avoid tough matchups and protect their records with carefully selected opponents. Others actively seek out the biggest challenges available to prove their greatness beyond any doubt. Islam Makhachev has never shied away from difficult fights throughout his dominant UFC career. The Dagestani grappling wizard defended his lightweight title four times before vacating it in May. He decided moving up to welterweight made more sense than continuing brutal weight cuts anymore.

Now Makhachev challenges Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight championship at UFC 322 on November 14th. But the former lightweight king already has his eyes on an even bigger prize afterward. Ilia Topuria captured the vacant lightweight title in June by knocking out Charles Oliveira impressively. The undefeated Spanish-Georgian champion has expressed interest in moving up to face Makhachev at welterweight. And Islam Makhachev is more than willing for this challenge!

Islam Makhachev Welcomes Ilia Topuria Challenge At UFC White House

Islam Makhachev (27-1) spoke with ESPN about his future plans beyond the Jack Della Maddalena title fight. He acknowledged watching Topuria’s knockout victory over Charles Oliveira and came away impressed by the performance. The Dagestani fighter knows Topuria plans to defend his lightweight belt at least once more soon. But Makhachev believes their paths will cross eventually once both fighters accomplish their immediate goals.

Topuria has publicly stated his willingness to move up and face Makhachev at the 170-pound limit. That challenge clearly caught Makhachev’s attention and sparked his competitive fire immediately after hearing it.

“I have a good fight now and I know [Topuria] is going to fight soon and we will see what’s gonna happen. He wants to fight at the White House, and I also want to be there. I know the UFC wants to do some big fight in the White House. Which fight is going to be bigger than this?”

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The logic makes perfect sense from both a competitive and business perspective for everyone involved. Makhachev and Topuria are widely considered the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world currently. Their undefeated streaks and dominant performances have separated them from their peers across all divisions.

A superfight between these two elite champions would generate massive pay-per-view numbers and mainstream attention. The White House setting adds historical significance that elevates the occasion beyond a typical championship fight. The only hurdle remains that both these fighters get their hand raised in their next fights!

(Image Credit: Craig Kidwell – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Jack Della Maddalena

UFC White House

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!