All articles tagged with #islam makhachev
Ilia Topuria’s manager Malki Kawa says Islam Makhachev was never an actual option for the UFC White House card; negotiations ultimately centered on a Gaethje fight after Makhachev was sidelined by an injury, with Topuria still eyeing a future showdown with Makhachev and ongoing talks about pay and terms.
Islam Makhachev’s manager says a potential champ-champ bout with Ilia Topuria never got close, as the UFC shifted toward a summer welterweight title defense while Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight unification is set for June 14. There was talk of stripping Topuria to crown an undisputed 170-pound champ with Gaethje vs. Arman Tsarukyan if the Topuria fight didn’t happen, and the UFC is expected to announce the actual challenger for Makhachev’s 170-pound title in mid-2026, with names like Ian Garry, Michael Morales, or Kamaru Usman floated.
Islam Makhachev is set to return in July to headline UFC's International Fight Week in Las Vegas, with a No. 1 contender bout planned for the summer. A fight with Ilia Topuria was discussed but ultimately not pursued due to negotiations, and the UFC is expected to announce the July opponent soon.
Volkanovski revealed his top-five MMA GOAT list—Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, Islam Makhachev, Israel Adesanya, and Anderson Silva—with Khabib Nurmagomedov as an honorable mention, praising Islam while noting that GOAT debates hinge on résumé versus dominance and highlighting his iconic Perth bout.
Poirier said Islam Makhachev looked enormous across the octagon at UFC 302, estimating Makhachev at about 190–192 pounds while he fought at roughly 176. Makhachev replied via Telegram that he has never weighed more than 176 pounds. Poirier lost to Makhachev by a fifth‑round brabo choke and described the choke’s unique mechanics, while noting Makhachev later moved up to welterweight and dominated Jack Della Maddalena to win that championship, highlighting the size and strength edge Poirier faced that night.
Ilia Topuria blasted Islam Makhachev for missing a potential superfight and not appearing at the UFC White House event, claiming Makhachev cited an injury; Makhachev replied after Topuria’s posts, and Dana White said neither fighter was guaranteed to headline. Makhachev holds the 170-pound belt after beating Della Maddalena, while Topuria remains focused on a future title run and is set to face Gaethje on June 14.
Topuria’s manager says early talks to include him on the UFC White House card stalled after a low offer; after late Friday and then Wednesday negotiations, they rejected the initial money and later agreed to face Islam Makhachev (over Gaethje) as pay improved, with White confirming the matchup wasn’t officially finalized at first and Topuria still set to be the last to walk out on June 14.
Dana White rejected reports that Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria was the last-minute headliner for the UFC White House show, confirming instead that Ilia Topuria will face Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification and noting Makhachev’s hand injury. He also said Topuria wasn’t initially supposed to be on the card and that the late changes stemmed from another issue at Power Slap, with more UFC events expected to be announced soon.
Dana White denied reports that Islam Makhachev was slated to fight Ilia Topuria on the UFC White House card, confirming instead that Topuria will headline a lightweight title unification bout with Justin Gaethje. Makhachev is sidelined by a hand injury and Ramadan obligations, while Topuria and Gaethje were late additions after a chaotic build‑up following a Power Slap event; the card is set for June 14 as part of the America 250 celebration.
UFC officials reportedly bench No. 2 welterweight Ian Garry to clear a path for a 'much bigger' Islam Makhachev bout, with two likely options – a champion vs. champion showdown with Ilia Topuria or a Conor McGregor headliner – keeping Garry's title odds unclear and a final call expected by the end of the week.
Ian Machado Garry publicly teased a welterweight title showdown with Islam Makhachev after his recent win, saying he’s ready while noting Makhachev might need more time. Makhachev is the reigning champ after defeating Jack Della Maddalena, and Garry sits at 10-1 in the UFC with a two-fight win streak. Makhachev’s manager replied on Twitter, though the article doesn’t detail the reply.
Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett in a five‑round UFC 324 war to become the first two‑time interim UFC lightweight champion. Islam Makhachev criticized the main event on X, while Khabib Nurmagomedov congratulated Gaethje, with both in attendance as Umar Nurmagomedov won on the undercard. Gaethje now contemplates a potential title‑unification bout with Ilia Topuria, and hinted retirement could follow that clash.
Jack Della Maddalena, an underdog, is expected to face a tough challenge against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322, but he has strong support from notable fighters like Israel Adesanya and Danny Roberts, who believes Maddalena can prevail in all aspects of the fight and potentially finish Makhachev.
Kamaru Usman is advocating for a title shot, expressing interest in fighting the winner of UFC 322 between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev, emphasizing his desire to reclaim his place at the top of the welterweight division and highlighting the significance of a potential fight with Makhachev for the UFC's future events.
Dana White indicated that a superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria is a possibility in the future, with both fighters expressing interest, although they must first navigate their upcoming bouts in their respective weight classes. The fight is highly anticipated and considered one of the biggest in MMA, with Khabib Nurmagomedov also endorsing its significance.