Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC announcer Joe Rogan during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Joe Rogan Believes There Is Only One Fight To Make In The Lightweight Division

Joe Rogan gives his take on the ongoing lightweight chaos, backs a superfight with two dominant champions!

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC announcer Joe Rogan during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

“Everybody who steps to the cage wants to knock me out, but I stop them all.” These are the words said by none other than the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. And currently, the threat of knocking him out is coming from none else than Ilia Topuria, who has climbed a weight class to get to the second belt. The UFC lightweight drama is at it’s peak now!

UFC commentator Joe Rogan has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and he has now firmly planted his flag on what should happen next in the division. The longtime podcast host and UFC analyst sees only one logical matchup for the lightweight strap, and it involves the former featherweight champion who is ready to make a splash in a heavier weight class.

Also Read: Arman Tsarukyan Reveals Lightweight Title Fight Picture, Gives Hint Of His Next Fight As Well!

Joe Rogan Makes The Case For Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria

During a recent episode of his JRE podcast featuring none other than Ilia Topuria himself, Joe Rogan didn’t mince words. He was adamant that the only fight that makes sense was Ilia vs Islam.

“That is the fight to make. You have a world champion versus and world champion. It’s simple… That would be a huge fight. Everybody would get excited. Also it is the most marketable fight.”

Rogan seemed genuinely excited about the prospect, pointing out how rare it is to see two dominant champions collide. He believes that this would truly be a one of a kind fight where both champions are evenly matched. This fight can shatter records but in saying that, this stays in the hands of the top UFC brass and the matchmakers.

Ilia Topuria Refuses To Fight For Nothing Less Than The Title

Ilia Topuria has made his position crystal clear. He wants nothing less than a title shot against Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champion has already vacated his 145-pound title to pursue this goal. That’s not a small decision. It shows just how serious Topuria is about this move.

“I would like to fight with Islam, that is for sure, I would like to fight him. I wouldn’t fight for a No. 1 contender fight. If Islam decides he doesn’t want to fight me. I’ll sit until you’re gonna have to fight me.”

Ilia Topuria says he would NOT fight a #1 contender fight, and only wants the title shot:

“I don’t care if Islam decides he doesn’t want to fight me. I’ll sit until you’re gonna have to fight me…

I’m here. You can’t keep avoiding me.”

🎥 @joerogan pic.twitter.com/KJoUpqEjaR
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 16, 2025

He further revealed to Rogan that he received a promise from the UFC that his next fight would be for the lightweight championship. His confidence borders on cockiness, but his recent performances back it up. After knocking out both Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, two all-time greats, Topuria has proven he is no ordinary champion!

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Joe Rogan

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!