Dana White has one other superfight to chase.
Former featherweight king Ilia Topuria shook up the Pound-for-Pound rankings at UFC 317 when he clobbered future Corridor of Famer Charles Oliveira to assert a vacant light-weight title. That belt was relinquished by Islam Makhachev, who’s chasing gold at a better weight class as Topuria simply useless. Makhachev is anticipated to combat welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena earlier than the top of 2025.
When Topuria first made overtures of a transfer to 155 kilos, hypothesis swirled round him probably difficult Makhachev, however the two are at the moment on totally different paths. Ought to Makhachev additionally succeed at changing into a two-division champion, White sees a Makhachev vs. Topuria combat being proper again on monitor.
“Islam strikes up and clearly if Islam received the title, you instantly have a superfight with him and Ilia,” White stated on the Full Ship Podcast. “It’s one factor to sit down round and speak about these fights earlier than they occur or hypothetically talking. I don’t like hypothetical. These are choices that we have now if issues play out that approach, however you by no means know what’s going to occur.
“I used to be completely assured that Jones vs. Aspinall was achieved and we have been going to do it and right here we’re in the present day. So that you by no means know.”
White remains to be stinging from a possible Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall heavyweight championship unification bout falling by, with Jones having lately retired fairly than face his fellow titleholder. The UFC CEO isn’t fully transferring on from the thought, particularly with Jones already teasing a return to motion with the opportunity of combating at a proposed UFC White Home occasion in July 2026.
For now, it’s Topuria whose star is arguably shining brightest among the many present crop of UFC standouts. His knockout of Oliveira ranks among the many better of 2025 midway by the 12 months, and at simply 28 years previous he’s joined an unique listing of champions to carry UFC titles in two divisions whereas additionally sustaining an ideal report at 17-0.
“El Matador” has left White reaching for superlatives to explain the Georgian-Spanish celebrity.
“Unbelievable,” White stated. “Completely unbelievable. … You don’t know till it performs out after which calling the spherical, calling how he’s going to do it, and doing it to the fellows that he’s achieved it to is unbelievable. [Alexander Volkanovski], [Max] Holloway, and now Charles.”
