Ilia Topuria’s Next Fight: Will He Challenge Islam Makhachev or Face Charles Oliveira First? UFC Insiders React!

 Ilia Topuria (center) receiving an award in Georgia after a dominant featherweight run. Topuria’s decision to vacate his 145-pound title and move up to lightweight has ignited debate among MMA insiders about his next matchup. Many are discussing whether “El Matador” should get an immediate shot at UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev or first face a top contender to prove himself at 155 lbs Notable figures – from former fighters like Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier to commentators Joe Rogan and UFC President Dana White – have all weighed in on Topuria’s lightweight future.

Immediate Title Shot vs. Islam Makhachev?

Some prominent voices believe Topuria has earned an immediate crack at Islam Makhachev’s title. After Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to capture the featherweight belt and then finished ex-champ Max Holloway, Joe Rogan argued that the biggest fight to make is Topuria vs. Makhachev now (Joe Rogan pushes for Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev next: "Make the big fight" | BJPenn.com). “As crazy as it sounds, I hope Ilia goes up to 155…I don’t care if he only defended the [featherweight] title one time…Let’s go. Let’s f*****g go,” Rogan urged, pushing for the superfight without delay. Former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier agrees Topuria has done enough to warrant a title shot “right off the bat.” Citing Topuria’s decision to vacate his belt and his finish of Holloway, Poirier said, “I would give him a crack at the lightweight title right off the bat” (Poirier: Topuria deserves lightweight title shot 'right off the bat' | theScore.com). He also praised Topuria for honorably not holding up 145: “It’s honorable to vacate the belt…He’s doing it the right way” by moving up without stalling his old division. In their view, Topuria’s dominance at featherweight and status as a fresh challenger make him a compelling immediate challenger for Makhachev.

However, Islam Makhachev’s own camp has expressed hesitation about an instant title fight for Topuria. Makhachev and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov have suggested Topuria should prove himself at 155 lbs first. The Dagestani champ reportedly feels a Topuria bout would be “unfair,” quipping that he’s “tired of giving chances to small guys” coming up from featherweight (“He’s Not a Big Guy” – Daniel Cormier Gives Ilia Topuria a Wake-Up Call on Vacating Title for Islam Makhachev Fight - EssentiallySports). Khabib echoed that sentiment, saying Topuria ought to beat a top lightweight like Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira before earning a shot at Islam. This stance reflects a concern that Topuria’s résumé at lightweight is empty – unlike Alexander Volkanovski (who had already reigned at 145) when he got his lightweight title opportunities. UFC president Dana White has also been non-committal about immediately booking Topuria vs. Makhachev. When asked if that matchup is next, White responded, “There’s still other possibilities. There’s a lot of sh*t going on right now”indicating that the UFC is considering alternative plans for both Topuria and Makhachev’s next fights.

Top Contender Fight First – Oliveira or Others?

Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (left) has been mentioned as a possible first test for Topuria at 155 lbs. Many analysts feel Topuria might need a No. 1 contender bout before a title shot. Chael Sonnen, for example, believes Topuria vs. Makhachev “is not the fight to make right away.” Sonnen argues that the “battle is for Ilia” between top contenders like Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan – meaning one of those lightweights should face Topuria first. If Topuria can defeat a former champion or rising contender at 155, it would cement his status as a true threat in the division. “Ilia is gonna have to do a fight first,” Sonnen said, suggesting that an impressive win over someone like Oliveira would make a subsequent title bout “a completely other conversation” . This view aligns with the stance of Makhachev’s manager, who commented that Topuria should beat a Poirier or Oliveira to prove he’s a “legit” lightweight before challenging Islam. Even Michael Bisping has offered conditional support for Topuria’s lightweight move – only if Ilia plans to stay at 155. “If he moves up and stays up then fair play… But if he’s just going to go up and try and become a two-weight champ… I would like to see him rematch Volkanovski because ‘Volk’ deserves it,” Bisping said , preferring Topuria clear out featherweight contenders (like a Volk rematch or fighting Diego Lopes) unless he permanently commits to lightweight. Former champ Charles Oliveira, widely seen as a top contender at 155, has acknowledged Topuria as “a very tough and very dangerous guy” but cautioned Ilia to think carefully about jumping divisions: “You have to be very careful when you’re coming up to lightweight because this is a very tough division” . Oliveira’s stance suggests he respects Topuria’s skills yet knows firsthand the depth at lightweight. Notably, Topuria himself has shown interest in a potential Oliveira fight. Before vacating, he mentioned he’d be open to fighting Oliveira in a lightweight debut if the Makhachev title fight couldn’t be immediate . All of this points to significant support for Topuria taking on a high-ranked lightweight – such as Oliveira – as a title eliminator.

Meanwhile, Dana White has hinted that the UFC might indeed go the contender-fight route. White confirmed Topuria voluntarily vacated his featherweight belt (saying Ilia felt “I’ve done everything I can do here, I’m ready to move up”) . But White stopped short of granting an instant title shot, teasing that “other possibilities” are on the table  Those possibilities likely include pairing Topuria with another lightweight star first. In sum, there is a strong contingent within the MMA community – from Team Khabib to veteran analysts – that favors Topuria proving himself at lightweight against a top foe like Oliveira or Tsarukyan before he challenges Makhachev.

Style at 155: Advantages and Challenges

Supporters and skeptics alike have weighed in on how Ilia Topuria’s fighting style will translate to the lightweight division. On the positive side, Topuria’s skill set is widely praised as championship-caliber. Joe Rogan has raved about Topuria as a phenomenally well-rounded fighter with explosive speed and power. “Ilia is fast as f*ck,” Rogan said. “He’s not slow at all. He doesn’t have any disadvantages. He doesn’t have any weaknesses, man. …That’s why I say he’s the new high-water mark” in MMA . Rogan even suggested Topuria might already be in the debate for pound-for-pound best, noting “Ilia – he might be the best” fighter alive . Likewise, former middleweight champ Israel Adesanya – a striker known for technique – has been impressed by Topuria’s boxing and overall game. “Ilia – I love his boxing…I love the way he mixes it up, his wrestling. I like his combinations. Ilia is a beautiful fighter, I think his boxing is something that’s magnificent to watch,” Adesanya remarked on his YouTube breakdown. Such endorsements suggest Topuria’s crisp striking and grappling could pose problems even for bigger men at 155. Topuria’s own confidence is sky-high as well – he’s openly stated “I know that I can do with [Makhachev] whatever I want… I am much better than him”, and he’s accused Islam of avoiding the fight if it’s supposedly so “easy”  In terms of skills, few doubt Topuria has the talent to hang with lightweight elites.

The questions mainly revolve around size and strength against true lightweights. Daniel Cormier, who has trained alongside the Dagestani camp, pointed out that Topuria is not especially large for 155: “He’s not a big guy. I don’t feel like he’s a big guy,” DC said, noting that established lightweights like Makhachev, Khabib, Charles Oliveira, and even Michael Chandler are “much bigger than Ilia Topuria” in stature . (Topuria is around 5’7”, whereas Islam and Oliveira stand 5’10”.) Cormier found it “odd” that Topuria claimed he couldn’t make 145 anymore, implying Ilia isn’t oversized for featherweight to begin with . He warned that jumping straight into a division of bigger fighters could repeat the mistake of Conor McGregor – who moved to lightweight and eventually struggled against the larger Khabib . Belal Muhammad raised a similar point, saying Islam is in a tricky situation legacy-wise: if Makhachev fights Topuria and wins, critics will say “we told you that Ilia was too small,” downplaying Islam’s victory . “Everybody’s calling for Ilia,” Belal noted, but if Islam beats another featherweight, detractors will just argue he only defeats smaller men . Muhammad added that Topuria could always drop back down after, whereas Islam gains little (“it does no good to his legacy”) by beating a newcomer from a lower class . In short, Topuria may have to overcome a size perception hurdle – both physically and in terms of public credit – when facing the big names at 155. Even Charles Oliveira, as noted, stressed that lightweight is unforgiving: new arrivals must be “very careful” because the division is stacked with tough, well-rounded fighters . That said, Topuria’s backers believe his ferocity, speed, and technique can neutralize any size disadvantage. As one fan quipped amid the Topuria-Islam talk, “Topuria will finish him” – confidence that Ilia’s power will carry up in weight . Ultimately, Topuria’s lightweight run will test how his advantages (explosiveness, boxing, BJJ) stack up against potential challenges (height/reach, strength of bigger opponents).

UFC’s Plans and Rumors

As of now, the UFC has not officially announced Topuria’s first lightweight opponent, but there are strong signals and rumors in circulation. Ariel Helwani reported that “all signs… point to an Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev fight perhaps as soon as International Fight Week” 2025 . Helwani noted that booking that superfight in July would be ideal – “that is International Fight Week-worthy. That is a mammoth, mammoth fight”  – suggesting the UFC is very interested in capitalizing on Topuria’s surging star power. In fact, some insiders have described Islam vs. Ilia as potentially “the biggest non-Conor McGregor fight the UFC has ever put on” if it happens, given the collision of two champions and undefeated phenoms. Topuria has certainly been doing his part to campaign for it, repeatedly calling out Makhachev and even accusing the lightweight king of being afraid to face him: “He’s [Makhachev] afraid…If I’m ‘small’ as he says, he would already share the octagon with me. There’s a reason he doesn’t want to” Topuria said defiantly . For his part, Makhachev has hinted on social media that “someone needs to be put out” – a cryptic message fans interpreted as him targeting Topuria . This back-and-forth has only fueled speculation that the UFC will eventually lock in Topuria as Islam’s next defense.

Dana White, however, has tempered expectations about the timing. White emphasized that Topuria chose to vacate rather than hold up featherweight – “He said, ‘I’ve done everything I can do here, I’m ready to move up,’ and he vacated it”  – and the UFC “respected” that move. But when pressed on matching Topuria with Makhachev, White repeatedly insisted other options exist . This could imply the UFC is weighing if Islam should first defend against a ranked lightweight (for example, a rescheduled rematch with Oliveira or a contender like Justin Gaethje), with Topuria possibly fighting the winner late in the year. Another factor is timing around Ramadan (which Makhachev observes) and other super-fight ambitions; Islam has flirted with the idea of moving up to welterweight himself after a few more defenses. Still, the demand for Topuria vs. Makhachev is high. UFC commentator Jon Anik noted that Topuria’s rise is so rapid it’s akin to a scenario of him “knocking out [Cormier] and Jon Jones in a year”  – highlighting how extraordinary Topuria’s streak has been. The UFC matchmakers certainly have a star on their hands, and fans are clamoring to see if the Georgian-Spaniard can solve the dominant Dagestani champion. At this point, two scenarios seem plausible: Topuria gets the next title shot in summer 2025 (as rumors suggest), or he takes a #1 contender fight in the interim (with Charles Oliveira repeatedly named as the frontrunner) to build the matchup even further . Either way, Topuria’s entry into the lightweight ranks has “shaken up two divisions” and set the stage for some blockbuster fights . As coach Javier Mendez stated, Islam won’t outright refuse Topuria “if the UFC offered it” – so ultimately it may come down to the UFC’s business calculus. All signs point toward Topuria fighting for lightweight gold sooner than later, whether immediately or after one high-profile win. And if Topuria’s own predictions come true, we might witness him attempt to “either knock out or submit” Islam Makhachev when that cage door finally closes .

Sources: Chael Sonnen via Sportskeeda (Chael Sonnen gives honest take on Ilia Topuria’s next opponent, and it’s not Islam Makhachev: "The battle is for Ilia") (Chael Sonnen gives honest take on Ilia Topuria’s next opponent, and it’s not Islam Makhachev: "The battle is for Ilia"); Daniel Cormier via EssentiallySports (“He’s Not a Big Guy” – Daniel Cormier Gives Ilia Topuria a Wake-Up Call on Vacating Title for Islam Makhachev Fight - EssentiallySports); Joe Rogan via BJPenn/MMA News (Joe Rogan pushes for Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev next: "Make the big fight" | BJPenn.com) (UFC commentator Joe Rogan dubs Ilia Topuria as being MMA’s new “high water mark” | BJPenn.com); Dana White via TheSportsRush (UFC Featherweight Star 'Furious' After Ilia Topuria Denies American Huge Fight Opportunity by Vacating Title - The SportsRush); Israel Adesanya via MMA on SI (UFC 298: Israel Adesanya Predicts Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria | Yardbarker); Belal Muhammad via EssentiallySports (UFC Champ Claims Islam Makhachev is in a ‘Bad Spot’ as Ilia Topuria Shakes Up 2 Divisions After LW Move - EssentiallySports) (UFC Champ Claims Islam Makhachev is in a ‘Bad Spot’ as Ilia Topuria Shakes Up 2 Divisions After LW Move - EssentiallySports); Dustin Poirier via theScore/MMAFighting (Poirier: Topuria deserves lightweight title shot 'right off the bat' | theScore.com) (Poirier: Topuria deserves lightweight title shot 'right off the bat' | theScore.com); Charles Oliveira via MMA Junkie/BJPenn (Charles Oliveira cautions Ilia Topuria against moving up to lightweight: “This is a very tough division” | BJPenn.com); Ariel Helwani via EssentiallySports (“He’s Not a Big Guy” – Daniel Cormier Gives Ilia Topuria a Wake-Up Call on Vacating Title for Islam Makhachev Fight - EssentiallySports).