Ilia Topuria needs Islam Makhachev’s UFC title, and he thinks the light-weight champion’s group is on the run.
In a current interview, Makhachev’s shut good friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov said his case for why Arman Tsarukyan deserves the following shot at Makhachev and never Topuria. The gears seem like in movement for the undefeated Topuria to combat Makhachev within the close to future after voluntarily vacating his featherweight belt to alter divisions, however nothing is official and Nurmagomedov want to see Topuria win his subsequent combat at 155 kilos earlier than being given a championship alternative.
Topuria took to social media to reply to Nurmagomedov’s feedback, claiming Nurmagomedov is simply making an attempt to guard his fighter.
“Khabib is aware of I’m the one to take the belt from Islam,” Topuria wrote. “Solely motive he doesn’t need Islam to combat me.”
Topuria actually has greater than sufficient momentum to leap proper right into a superfight with Makhachev. After a 6-0 begin to his UFC profession (that included one light-weight look in opposition to Jai Herbert the place he survived an early scare to return again and win through second-round knockout), Topuria ascended to the highest of the light-weight division a knockout of champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 after which a knockout of Max Holloway at UFC 308.
With these wins over two legends of MMA, Topuria grew to become the primary fighter to defeat Volkanovski in a 145-pound bout and the primary fighter ever to complete Holloway through strikes.
He could soar to the entrance of the contender line with Tsarukyan lacking his likelihood to problem Makhachev for the title this previous January. Makhachev scored a win over Tsarukyan in Tsarukyan’s UFC debut 2019, however the Armenian standout went on a 9-1 tear to combat his method to rematch. Sadly for Tsarukyan, he sustained a again harm a day earlier than UFC 311 and was pressured to withdraw, a lot to the chagrin of UFC CEO Dana White, who mentioned Tsarukyan “should combat his approach again” to a title shot.
As for Makhachev, his plans may hinge on the results of the UFC 315 foremost occasion between welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. On a number of events, Makhachev has expressed a want to go to welterweight and turn out to be a two-division champion, however his shut relationship with Muhammad has prevented such a transfer.
Ought to Della Maddalena upset Muhammad, that would open the door for Makhachev to alter divisions and instantly turn out to be the No. 1 contender at welterweight. That would depart Topuria to combat one other huge identify at 155 kilos, presumably for a vacant or interim light-weight title.
