After UFC 311, Ilia Topuria (16-0) did not remain without a response. ‘El Matador’ posted several tweets after the event in Los Angeles, one of them to Islam Makhachev (27-1). And the Dagestani, asked at a press conference about the message from the Spanish-Georgian… responded.
“There are a lot of opponents who say they could finish me in the first or second round. I already said that if you can get to 155 (pounds) you can get into the binge. We’ll talk about it then,” were Makhachev’s words to the press when asked by journalists present at the Intuit Dome about the Los Angeles tweet.
I already said if you can get to 155 (pounds) you can get in on the binge. We’ll talk about it then
Islam Makhachev
Islam’s camp, however, does not seem very willing to accept a fight with Topuria. Proof of this are the words of Ali Abdelaziz, his agent and one of the most important representatives in MMA: “The UFC has plans for Islam [Makhachev] that do not include Oliveira, Arman [Tsarukyan] or Ilia [Topuria].”
Makhachev, in the preview of the fight at UFC 311, said that “Topuria should focus on his division first”. He insists in his belief that he should make some more title defenses (he has one, against Holloway) before thinking about a weight increase.
Topuria should focus on his division first
Islam Makahchev
And that leads to the next point: when Topuria moves up, Makhachev may no longer be in the lightweight division. Makhachev’s idea is still to be a double UFC champion. “I will not retire without the double belt,” he said. And that goes for welterweight, where his friend Belal Muhammad reigns at the moment. He made it clear these days that their relationship would not be a problem, although it would not be his dream fight. “It’s sport,” he said.