The lightweight division is the most stacked in the UFC, with even the #10-ranked fighter being incredibly skilled. And as if the division wasn’t stacked in enough, you have Ilia Topuria moving up to the division from featherweight with only one goal—becoming a two-division champion after winning the lightweight title. Of course, Islam Makhachev is in his crosshairs. While the champion Islam Makhachev doesn’t think much of featherweights moving up in weight, an ex-BMF champion thinks the move is totally legit for ‘El Matador’, stressing that the move from 145 to 155 pounds isn’t much of a factor.
In a conversation with Shak MMA, the host asked Justin Gaethje his opinion on Ilia Topuria’s lightweight move, to which ‘The Highlight’ ascertained that ‘El Matador’ is a force that should not be underestimated especially because he has the ability to turn the tides in his favor, “Yeah, I mean it. There’s just no way to say. I think, uh, I think him being a featherweight coming up to lightweight is not a factor. I think we saw that with Max Holloway. The only guy to put me to sleep was a featherweight so that f—– don’t work.”
‘The Highlight’ didn’t hold back, pointing out that Ilia Topuria’s unwavering confidence has been the fuel behind his dominant run—rarely does the fighter even flinch in front of his opponents. At UFC 298, ‘El Matador’ showcased that fearless self-belief in brutal fashion, vowing to knock out Alexander Volkanovski—and true to his word, he dismantled the former champion within three rounds. We witnessed the same ravaging confidence from Topuria as he knocked out Max Holloway to defend his title.
Credits: Imago
He further added, “I think, like I said earlier, all the champions are moving forward for a significant amount of time. So, I think he’s a force to be reckoned with, absolutely. He’s very dangerous, and very confident, and we’ll see how it goes. Styles make matchups. We’ll see what kind of matchup he gets.”
Islam Makhachev doesn’t want to entertain a featherweight stepping up in weight right away and wants Ilia Topuria to earn the shot by fighting a top contender within the 155-lb division. And now, the former BMF champion wants a crack at the title before ‘El Matador’ gets a chance at double-gold.
Justin Gaethje targets the lightweight title before Ilia Topuria
Justin Gaethje was on his way to fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title but his defeat against Max Holloway derailed his plans as he took a step back from title contention, after getting knocked out following a five-round war with ‘Blessed’. ‘The highlight’ is now looking to oust his opponent Rafael Fiziev for a second time at UFC 313 to continue his march towards the lightweight gold. This might completely derail Ilia Topuria’s chance for the title fight.
While having a conversation with the media, Gaethje asserted, “You know, it really doesn’t matter who it is, timing is everything in this sport, we saw what Dustin Poirier (did), I beat him and then he fought for the belt right after that and I think the timing is gonna line up well. I go in there and get a finish with an outstanding performance like I always do, I think I’ll be one of the guys that they consider to fight Makhachev.”
Timing is a crucial factor in making the fight happen, and Justin Gaethje could be on the cusp of a title shot if he dominates or finishes Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. Meanwhile, Topuria could face a top lightweight contender as a primer for his title shot. It’ll be interesting to see who makes it to the top first.
Who do you think will get to fight Islam Makhachev first? Will it be the former BMF champion or the former featherweight champ? Let us know in the comments down below.
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