Islam Makhachev didn’t wait. Moments after Jack Della Maddalena dismantled Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, the reigning lightweight king fired off a message on X, “Time to become a double champion #inshaAllah Let’s go.” For months, Makhachev, out of loyalty to Muhammad, had avoided talks of moving up to welterweight. But with the Aussie ripping away the belt from Muhammad, the Dagestani champion’s path towards two-division glory has opened up!
But while Makhachev eyes welterweight gold, another storm is brewing in his absence. With the champion raring to move up in weight, the UFC and Dana White are reportedly looking to set up a clash between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria at UFC 317. On the line? Possibly an interim title belt. On paper, it’s a blockbuster. But could it leave the division in turmoil? One UFC veteran believes so!
Michael Bisping sounds the alarm for Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira amidst Islam Makhachev’s ‘double-champ’ aspirations
On his YouTube channel, former UFC champion Michael Bisping didn’t hold back as he confessed, “Just look at the heavyweight division right now. We know the whole mess with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, Jones is the undisputed, Tom’s defending the interim okay, and we don’t want to create this situation again.”
But, as Bisping also pointed out, if anyone deserves a shot at two belts, it’s Makhachev. His dominance has left few doubting. Still, with the belt potentially up for grabs, the stakes and the aftermath of Oliveira vs. Topuria could shift the division’s landscape dramatically.
But before he delved into that, the UFC veteran continued with, “I would say, Ilia Topuria, given everything he’s done in the sport, the confidence that he has shown, the manifestation, as the kids say. But bringing it all to a reality, knocking out everyone in his way, doing it in absolute style, hardly breaking a sweat, not having to fight through any adversity, not being the hammer and the nail, he’s just been the hammer.”
From knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to doing the same thing to Max Holloway, Ilia Topuria has barely broken a sweat. As such, if he beats Charles Oliveira, and Bisping believes he’ll be the favorite to do so, it could set the stage for some serious drama. How?
MMA: UFC Fight Night-Herbert vs Topuria, Mar 19, 2022 London, UK Ilia Topuria blue gloves defeats Jai Herbert red gloves during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports, 19.03.2022 21:33:51, 17930803, UFC Fight Night, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPerxHaljestamx 17930803
According to Bisping, “But Charles is getting a little bit older, he’s pushing 40, he lost Arman Tsarukyan, maybe his best days are behind him. I’m not saying that, I’m just saying that this is a discussion if he loses to Ilia, Ilia becomes the champion, Ilia might say, ‘Nah, f— that, you wouldn’t fight me when I was the champ, now I’m not fighting you.”
The message? Don’t count on Topuria waiting around for Islam Makhachev’s return if he feels snubbed. And that could leave the division stuck in the same limbo as the heavyweight landscape. With an undisputed champ showing no signs of wanting to face the interim champion, who is defending his left defending his belt anyway. However, now, Charles Oliveira’s coach has entered the picture with clarity and urgency!
Oliveira’s coach puts Dana White on notice with a bold message after UFC 315
Fresh off UFC 315, Charles Oliveira’s longtime coach and manager, Diego Lima, made it crystal clear: they’re ready. Posting a photo of himself alongside ‘Do Bronx,’ Lima wrote on Instagram, “Dana White, Sean Shelby, Hunter [Campbell], we are ready with the pen in hand.”
No riddles. No posturing. Just action. And in case there was any doubt, Oliveira reposted it himself. The message? The former champ is locked in on Ilia Topuria. Despite his recent loss to Arman Tsarukyan, he bounced back in classic ‘Do Bronx’ fashion, putting on a show against Michael Chandler in a thriller at UFC 309.
Still, the waters around him remain murky. Dana White skipped the UFC 315 post-fight press conference, leaving fans in the dark. Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev had already laid out his vision before the chaos. In a post on X, he said, “This Saturday’s main event will define what my next move is.” But even more telling? He added, “Regardless of [the] outcome, I’m not going to vacate my lightweight title!”
So here we are. Makhachev won’t give up the crown, even if he moves up. Topuria wants gold now, not later. And Oliveira? He’s holding the pen, waiting for a name to write beside his own. The UFC and Dana White have a decision to make. Will they crown an interim champ and risk further division chaos? Or will they force someone’s hand? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post New Twist in Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria Saga as UFC Veteran Predicts Grim Repercussions for Charles Oliveira Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.
