Ilia Topuria won the featherweight belt from Max Holloway after giving him a highlight reel KO loss at UFC 308. But he has bigger dreams, a lot like the ones that Islam Makhachev has. Topuria wants to be a dual-weight champ and has stepped into the lightweight division to snatch the belt from Makhachev, who sits on the LW throne. The 155-pound division is in a deadlock, however, with the top 8 stars not having proper fights booked yet. Everyone in the top 10 wants to fight Makhachev, directly, without fighting anyone else.
From Arman Tsarukyan to Justin Gaethje, all of them want Makhachev’s throne. Charles Oliveira had posted a video on social media urging UFC brass to give him a title fight. Gaethje, too, told The Schmo, “I am hoping it’s Islam Makhachev,” for his next fight. There are many takers for the title fight already, and in comes Topuria to take another place at the table. However, Makhachev does not want to fight ‘La Leyenda’ yet and needs the latter to prove himself as a lightweight. Daniel Cormier, who gets much intel from Team Khabib, warned Topuria that if Khabib Nurmagomedov was warning the Georgian Spaniard against Islam (which he did), it was legit.
However, the former UFC champ admitted something recently that might make you a little disappointed. He has no latest updates on this haywire situation. While speaking to Chael Sonnen in the Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast he said, “I got to be honest with you it’s so sad I know nothing It’s like we talk so much you and I; It’s like maybe I’ve let some things slip and I have at times let a few. Chael, when you put a camera in front of two guys who love to talk as much as you and I, eventually things slip. Sometimes they slip on purpose. But right now, it’s like I feel guilty going to ask Islam and them for the information.”
Sonnen was stunned and said, “You haven’t asked. Why haven’t you asked?” DC retorted, “I don’t trust that I won’t let something slip. It’s like I know that there’s a chance that it slips. I don’t want to let anything slip.” However, DC mentioned that Topuria, who brings a lot of eyeballs for a match and the numbers too, refuses to fight anyone other than the champ. But the champ is adamant about not fighting him. So then the UFC bossman might be like, “something’s gotta give” as per Cormier.
But fans want him to slip information, we all love a good amount of UFC tea! But DC did say on his YouTube channel that “Khabib is about as straight as a shooter as you’re ever going to find,” so the intel will be solid, and DC does not want to slip up any verified news about any fights before the UFC brass does. DC also gave a solution for the 155lbs chaos going on and said that if not Topuria, then maybe Justin Gaethje.
Daniel Cormier suggested Justin Gaethje for the Lightweight title fight
DC was talking about this scenario on his YouTube channel and said, “For me, it’s this—I think it’s Gaethje. I think that makes a ton of sense to me because Gaethje is that big name. And if Justin Gaethje fights Islam Makhachev for the championship, that’s it if he loses.”
He mentioned that others in LW have had their chances. Dustin Poirier went up against Khabib and Charles Oliveira for the belt. Gaethje fought for the belt against Oliveira and Khabib. So he might get the chance to fight for the belt against Makhachev. The 26-5 fighter recently had a victory against Rafael Fiziev, and he thinks this win might earn him a shot at Islam Makhachev.
Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev has the same aura that Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor had, to be honest. However, Makhachev does not want to fight Topuria, and as per DC, Gaethje is a better match. What will the UFC brass decide? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “I Feel Guilty” – Daniel Cormier Comes Clean on Refusing Inside Scoop on Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.
