Dana White’s office design mocked as report suggests Islam Makhachev turned down Ilia Topuria super fight 

Pound-for-pound best Islam Makhachev's rejection of Ilia Topuria fight challenge attracts criticism for Dana White's P4P champion.

Dana White’s office design mocked as report suggests Islam Makhachev turned down Ilia Topuria super fight 

Islam Makhachev doesn't want to fight Ilia Topuria now (via Imago)

Islam Makhachev has solidified himself as the most dominant and consistent champion on the current UFC roster. Never one to shy away from challenges, he has successfully defended his title four times. Recently, Ilia Topuria has emerged as the biggest threat to his reign, escalating the anticipation for a potential showdown.

After vacating his featherweight title, Ilia Topuria has moved up to lightweight, eager to challenge for the championship. He has already developed an ongoing rivalry with Makhachev and his team. Recent reports from TASS indicate that the UFC offered Makhachev a fight against Topuria, but the Dagestani reportedly declined. This decision has sparked criticism and fueled a negative narrative around Makhachev.

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In 2023, during the short-notice fight against Alexander Volkanovski, Dana White received a powerful message from Islam Makhachev. In the message, the lightweight champion talked about the responsibility of a champion to be always ready to fight anybody at any time. White loved that quote so much that he put it on his office wall. 

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Recent criticisms have questioned Makhachev’s mentality after he refused to fight Topuria. According to the Dagestani star, Topuria needs to prove his spot against a top lightweight. But it seems like fans didn’t like the pound-for-pound king backing out on his own principle.

Topuria adds more excitement to the stacked lightweight division. As such, it is understandable why the fanbase crave superfights. The quality of UFC matchmaking has lowered in recent times, and a superfight like Makhachev vs. Topuria is worthy of headlining the International Fight Week PPV event.

Islam Makhachev’s next move 

After Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, Islam Makhachev has successfully maintained the Dagestani legacy in the UFC. Other than having incredible wrestling skills, the 155-pound fighter also has an ever-developing striking skills. He has proved again and again why he is one of the most complete fighters on the roster. 

Islam Makhachev's next big target
Islam Makhachev’s next big target (via X)

Makhachev’s original plan was always to move up and fight for the double champion status. However, his plans were ruined after his training partner, Belal Muhammad, became the champion. In a recent interview, UFC veteran Henry Cejudo shared his opinion and suggested Makhachev to take the fight regardless. 

Islam is good. At this point Islam needs to go up. He needs to fight Belal Muhammad….F*** the friendship, it’s about that belt. 

Henry Cejudo via HJR Podcast 
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Muhammad has made it clear that he will never fight Makhachev and has even suggested that the reigning lightweight champion move up to middleweight. Makhachev and his team have also hinted that a move to 185 pounds is a possibility. However, before any of that happens, he must first deal with the challenge of Ilia Topuria. Fans are extremely interested in that fight.

Is Islam Makhachev scared of Ilia Topuria?

Ilia Topuria shocked everyone last year by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to become the featherweight champion. After the title-winning KO victory, he successfully defended it against the legendary Max Holloway and knocked him out at UFC 308. Both the achievements immediately catapulted him to global stardom and fans are eager for his next fight.

How will Islam Makhachev fight Ilia Topuria
How will Islam Makhachev fight Ilia Topuria (via X/Imago)

Apart from his brutal knockout power, Topuria also has an incredible ground game which makes his potential fight with Islam Makhachev intriguing. While ‘El Matador’ has a solid BJJ background, defending Makhachev’s relentless takedowns over five rounds is a massive challenge. On top of that, Makhachev has gone five rounds multiple times, showing strong endurance.

Topuria’s conditioning is solid, but he has never fought a grinding five-round war against an elite wrestler like Makhachev. The Dagestani also has the height advantage. In the past, he was seen struggling against Volkanovski in the first bout.

Topuria doesn’t think Makhachev has anything special and is willing to serve him a humble pie. However, for the lightweight champion, beating Topuria doesn’t necessarily bring anything to his resume. It remains to be seen if any other contender leapfrog El Matador to fight for the title.

Related: Islam Makhachev Net Worth, Endorsements, UFC contract, Wife and House