“Not happening…” Joe Rogan breaks bubble of MMA fans around Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria super fight

Joe Rogan thinks champion Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria PPV superfight at 155 pounds won't happen anytime soon.

“Not happening…” Joe Rogan breaks bubble of MMA fans around Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria super fight

Joe Rogan shuts down Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria idea (Source: X/IMAGO)

After back-to-back knockouts of a pound-for-pound topper/divisional king and a gritty boxer, Ilia Topuria wanted next steps. Even before his 145-pound title vacation, he wanted a skills test against champion Islam Makhachev. Now, with him going up a weight class, it bolstered such talks even more. However, Joe Rogan is here to be the bearer of bad news.

Longtime reigning 155-pound kingpin Islam Makhachev made 2/4 defenses against Alexander Volkanovski. A featherweight, whom Topuria knocked out in Anaheim last February to bag gold. The Dagestani often gets billed as a weight bully who can dominate only against those hydrating at 145 lbs. Hence, he didn’t want this pairing. Rogan himself has often been a proponent of such a super fight. But now, he has provided a more realistic and current take on the matter.

I don’t think that’s happening, …I wonder what they’re gonna do with Topuria. I like Topuria vs. Oliveira… Oliveira is so tall, so dangerous everywhere, huge reach advantage. Those [lightweights] are real big, Islam’s huge…

Joe Rogan via JRE ‘Fight Companion’ – March 22, 2025
YouTube video

‘El Matador’ has been eyeing Islam Makhachev right off the bat, even though champ-champ will become a rarer commodity. Hence, he was even willing to vacate and even move up for the belt, citing weight-cut reasons. His Camp Club Clemente (Spain) also teased that his grappling is untested, more so than his sturdy boxing. Hence, it made quite a skill-to-skill challenge vs. the promotion’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter who does it all.

This would have been a proper European-style style-striker vs. Dagestani Sambo goliath rematch and a PPV sale delight. Many even tagged Topuria as being able to do it, thus driving up the bargain. But Joe Rogan is here to be a naysayer. Recently. UFC headman Dana White also informed that Topuria’s immediate future at 155 pounds was a work in progress. So, if Islam Makhachev won’t be it, then who?

Kamaru Usman makes curious Ilia Topuria 155-pound fight proposal, gets immediate reaction for it

Kamaru Usman‘s take on who lightweight entrant Ilia Topuria should fight next may not be a popular one. But the former pound-for-pound topper has been around the block and gives a stylistic pairing. One that he even got an answer for.

Ilia Topuria gets new challenger on the block
Ilia Topuria gets new challenger on the block (Source: X)

Ilia Topuria has broken bread at 155 before, with a 2022 Fight Night second-round KO over Jai Herbert. Naturally suited toward more body hydration, he thus followed his last foe into the division to do it again. Paddy Pimblett, a surging prospect, remains a top option and often trades barbs on it. Before his UFC 313 PPV co-main strike fest, Justin Gaethje was willing to welcome him in. As was Charles Oliveira if placed against the Spaniard.

With the draw power Topuia has, a challenge against many such names had even driven up talks of a 155-pound top contender battle if he could get past. But given what his camp is telling him, Usman wants Topuria against a seasoned 155-pound grappler first. To that end, he handpicked Mateusz Gamrot for it.

Ilia Topuria, Mateusz Gamrot, …Hey, hey, hey, hey. The one thing we really don’t see often is Ilia Topuria on his back, now give him a relentless wrestler who is very successful in that lightweight division. I know a lot of people don’t talk about him because the style is not so fan friendly, but this guy can make a run at that title.

Kamaru Usman via the “Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman & Henry Cejudo” Podcast

Because Topuria wasn’t creating a logjam in his division and was ready to face anybody, many have pitched in his favor. Alongside him, many have also pitched in to face him. Gamrot even liked the idea and jumped on it, taking it to socials. A little undersized for 155 lbs, many are even considering that Topuria’s reign here wouldn’t last long and that he’d be easy pickings.

Related: 3 fights to make for Islam Makhachev amidst lightweight division drama