The UFC lightweight division is on the verge of chaos, and head honcho Dana White is at the center of it. With Islam Makhachev‘s next title defense still unknown, the field of challengers continues to expand. Justin Gaethje made a solid case with his brutal victory over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313, but Charles Oliveira is still looking for redemption. Then there’s Arman Tsarukyan, who steadily rose through the ranks, and Ilia Topuria, who gave up his featherweight belt for a new challenge at 155. So, who will face the Dagestani phenom? Well, Dana White isn’t making any promises just yet.
Addressing the confusion, White recently revealed the UFC’s method for picking a title challenger during the UFC 313 post-event press conference. The head honcho said, “Well, you guys know there’s a lot of different factors that play out when we start talking about who’s fighting next. Injuries, timing of when they want to fight, when they don’t want to fight, geographically where we end up. So there’s a lot of different things that determine whether a guy fights for the title and when.” With Makhachev sidelined until Ramadan ends, the UFC has time to consider its options, and it is evident that no decision has been reached as of yet.
Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria has done little to ease speculations about his future. Just weeks after vacating his featherweight belt, ‘El Matador’ took to his social media to tease a significant match announcement. Naturally, fans began to speculate, with some even tying him to a high-profile fight versus Conor McGregor. However, reports swiftly dismissed the idea, leaving the subject of his future fight open. A No. 1 contender match? A BMF title showdown? Or an immediate one-on-one against Makhachev? Topuria himself has refused to fight a contender, which could complicate his lightweight aspirations.
So, what does Dana White have to say about this? When questioned if Topuria’s teased announcement was related to a fight against Islam Makhachev or any other opponent, White just shrugged, “I don’t know, I don’t know. Probably.” It wasn’t an obvious answer, but it merely added to the intrigue. Whether the UFC gives Topuria an immediate title chance or has him prove himself first, one thing is certain: the lightweight division is stacked, and Makhachev’s next opponent is far from set in stone. However, it is worth noting Justin Gaethje is going for a final run at the title, and his UFC 313 win surely impressed many. Can he be the next opponent?
Dana White comes clean on Justin Gaethje and the lightweight scenario
Justin Gaethje has once again entered the lightweight title race, and this time, the chances may be in his favor. Following his victory at UFC 313, ‘The Highlight’ made his ambitions clear: “I am No. 3 in the world, the most exciting guy that’s ever stepped in there, and I don’t have a choice. It’s all on the UFC. We’ll see what they want.” Gaethje had already predicted that a dominant finish would secure his place in the title race, and with Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan, and Ilia Topuria also competing, the battle for Islam Makhachev’s reign has never been more intense.
Many others, including former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, have supported Gaethje for a title shot, which Dana White appeared to acknowledge during the UFC 313 post-fight press conference. “I mean, what’s he ranked now? Fourth or something? He’s still the number three ranked guy in the world, so the odds of him getting the title shot are pretty good,” the head honcho said. Even Makhachev is open to the fight, since Gaethje is one of the few elite lightweights he has yet to face.
However, Gaethje recognizes the difficulty ahead, confessing, “They tried to give me a donut, but I need to get back to running if I’m going to fight Makhachev.” Despite winning the BMF championship, Gaethje’s UFC title hopes have been dashed in the past—most notably by Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev’s coach, at UFC 254. Now 36, he understands that this could be one of his last shot at gold. So, this time around, he intends to rewrite his lightweight legacy. What do you think? Will he be able to steal the title away from Makhachev? Let us know in the comments.
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