Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria Might Never Happen! UFC Insider Explains Major Reason

This was Islam Makhachev’s plan: He’ll move up to welterweight, challenge for the title, and regardless of whether he wins or loses, he will look to come back down to lightweight and keep defending his belt. But Dana White’s announcement on Tuesday changed everything.

Sticking to the new rule he made where he didn’t want champions to move up in weight without vacating their title, White confirmed that Islam would have to vacate the 155lbs title, and only then would he be allowed to move up in weight.

If that’s upheld, Makhachev will not be able to fulfill his dream of becoming a double champ. With the Russian finishing off almost all legit challengers in the lightweight division, moving up was considered the best move for him to continue building his legacy.

And, if Makhachev does move up in weight, Chael Sonnen doesn’t see him coming back down.

“I’m just telling you, if he finds himself in that exact scenario, where he’s the world champion at 170 (lbs), he can defend it at 170 against Rakhmonov,” Sonnen said in a recent Instagram video.

“He can come back down to 155 [lbs] and put it up against Ilia Topuria, who’s the very guy he’s offered right now, and he’s saying no to. Right this second, he doesn’t want that fight. Why, after he became 170 champion, would he want that fight?” added Sonnen.

But Sonnen seems to be missing the point that the reason for Islam’s foray into welterweight is to further his legacy, to do things even Khabib has never done. And coming back down to 155lbs to defend his title against the winner of Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira, will put him in a different strata of champions.

Makhachev had made his plans public weeks ago. And following UFC 315, he put out a statement that has shaken the organization.

Makhachev’s bold prediction

UFC 315 was a bittersweet experience for Team Khabib. On the one hand, team member Belal Muhammad lost his title and got severely injured by his opponent. But on the other hand, it cleared the path for Makhachev to do what he has been looking to do for over a year now: Move up in weight.

In fact, as soon as Jack Della Maddalena was crowned champion, the first question he was asked was whether he was looking forward to taking on Makhachev. And the champ agreed to it. But this has been on Makhachev’s mind for a long time.

Just a day before the fight, the lightweight king had tweeted out saying, “This Saturday’s main event will define what my next move is. But regardless of [the] outcome [of] that fight, I’m not going to vacate my lightweight title! We might get real contender there!”

And after Maddalena became champion, Islam made a bold prediction, “Time to become a double champion Let’s go.” 

Makhachev has no plans of vacating his title at lightweight since he wants to go after the ‘double champ’ status.

Now all that remains is to see how the UFC tackles this situation. Will they let Islam hold on to his belt as he challenges for the 170lb title as well? Or will he be given the Topuria treatment and be told to vacate? Only time will tell.