Joe Rogan is able to see Ilia Topuria make the transfer to 155.
2024 was a banner 12 months for ‘El Matador.’ After claiming the featherweight title with a shocking second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, Topuria went on to grow to be the primary fighter to KO ex-titleholder Max Holloway in October.
Topuria has not but booked a return to the Octagon for 2025, however all indicators are presently pointing in the direction of a champion vs. champion conflict with reigning light-weight king Islam Makhachev.
It might be a fairly daring transfer contemplating Topuria solely has one profitable protection of his 145-pound crown, however that doesn’t actually matter to the long-time UFC shade commentator.
“I hope Ilia goes as much as 55. I actually do—to battle Volkanovski,” Rogan mentioned throughout his UFC 312 battle companion podcast. “Diego Lopes at 45? I’ll take that. If Ilia goes as much as 55, sh*t I don’t care if he solely defended the title one time or didn’t. Who cares? Let’s go!”
Is Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria the battle to make after UFC 311?
Makhachev simply scored his fourth profitable protection of the light-weight title final month, touchdown a quick-fire submission victory over short-notice substitute opponent Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in Los Angeles. The ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ was set to defend his belt in opposition to Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch greater than 5 years within the making, however Tsarukyan bowed out of the bout lower than 48 hours away from battle evening citing a again damage.
Nonetheless, some consider that Tsarukyan’s withdrawal was resulting from a botched weight reduce and never a official damage.
Moicano, who was scheduled to compete on the occasion in opposition to Beneil Dariush, was in the end pulled from his major card bout and thrust into the primary occasion. It solely took Makhachev 4 minutes to catch the Brazilian in a d’arce choke, bringing an abrupt finish to their unlikely headliner.
With Tsarukyan’s title alternative now on the again burner and Makhachev already defeating three of the top-five ranked contenders in his division, a conflict with Topuria makes a whole lot of sense for the Dagestani.
