Ilia Topuria`s quest for lightweight supremacy will not involve a direct confrontation with Islam Makhachev.
After Topuria vacated his featherweight championship in February, speculation grew about a potential clash between the two top pound-for-pound fighters for Makhachev`s 155-pound belt. However, recent events altered this trajectory. Following his friend Belal Muhammad`s defeat in the welterweight title fight against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, an opportunity arose for Makhachev to pursue championship status in a second division.
This possibility became concrete with UFC CEO Dana White`s announcement on Tuesday. Makhachev is set to challenge Della Maddalena for the welterweight championship at a future date and location yet to be determined. This development leaves Ilia Topuria to headline UFC 317 on June 28, where he will face Charles Oliveira for the newly vacated lightweight title.
While few would dispute that both the Makhachev vs. Della Maddalena and Topuria vs. Oliveira matchups are compelling championship bouts, some observers wonder if the potential superfight between Makhachev and Topuria for lightweight gold has been foregone.
