Looks like we could be heading toward another epic champion vs. champion showdown—and this one has all the makings of a classic. Ilia Topuria, fresh off his dominant title win at featherweight, has his sights set on lightweight gold next. Standing in his way? None other than Islam Makhachev, the reigning king of the 155-pound division.
On paper, it’s a razor-close matchup, and fans are already split on who takes it. But when it comes to opinions that actually hold weight, there’s one man uniquely qualified to chime in—Alexander Volkanovski.
Having gone toe-to-toe with both fighters, Volk has seen firsthand what each brings to the table. And according to him, there’s one guy with the tools to pull it off… and it’s not who you might expect.
Volkanovski has faced both Topuria and Makhachev in high-stakes bouts that significantly impacted his career. In February 2024, at UFC 298, Volkanovski defended his featherweight title against Topuria, the then No.1 contender. The fight concluded in the second round when Topuria delivered a decisive knockout, ending Volkanovski’s reign as champion.
Earlier, in October 2023, Volkanovski moved up to the lightweight division to challenge Makhachev for the title at UFC 294. This bout was brief, with Makhachev securing a first-round knockout via a head kick, marking a swift and emphatic victory.
Volkanovski recently joined ‘Mighty Mouse’ on his YouTube channel for an interview. During their conversation, Demetrious Johnson asked Volkanovski to pick a winner between Topuria and Makhachev. Volk acknowledged Topuria’s devastating power and confidence in his striking, stating that the newly crowned featherweight champ fully trusts his boxing and patiently waits for the right moment to land that game-changing shot.
“Ilia definitely has the power to catch him,” Volk said, highlighting that Topuria stays composed and believes he’ll eventually find the target.
But when it comes to Islam, Volkanovski believes it’s a tougher matchup for the Spaniard, noting that Makhachev’s calculated, defensive style could frustrate Topuria over the course of a five-round fight. He admitted that Topuria’s best chance lies in his hands.
“If he traps someone and lands clean, it’s game over—even at lightweight.” However, Volk also pointed out that while there’s talk about Topuria’s grappling, it hasn’t really been tested at the highest level yet. “If he starts stuffing takedowns or grappling with Islam effectively, my opinion might change,” he said. “But for now, I’m going with what I’ve seen—and I know Ilia can hit hard.”
While Johnson did not comment on how the fight would play out, he recently made his case for why he thinks Makhachev is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC right now.
Johnson makes his case for Makhachev
Johnson, one of the greatest to ever do it, has a pretty clear take when it comes to the pound-for-pound debate in MMA—it’s all about being well-rounded. While things like championship belts, recent wins, and activity matter, Johnson says the biggest factor is having no real holes in your game. And he’s not shy about saying that in today’s landscape, Makhachev checks all the boxes.
“MMA is the easiest sport in the world to become a world champ,” Johnson told MMA Junkie Radio.
“You can have major holes in your skillset and still get there.” But that’s not the case with Makhachev. According to Johnson, the UFC lightweight champ has it all—striking, wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu, and the ability to overcome adversity. He even puts Islam ahead of Jon Jones on the current P4P list, which says a lot.
Johnson recently trained with Makhachev and believes he could hold his own at welterweight too. “He’s big, strong, and super well-rounded,” Johnson added. “He’d be just fine at 170.” Coming from Mighty Mouse, that’s high praise.
