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After the chaos of UFC 321, which is widely being regarded as one of the worst cards of 2025, fans are eager for redemption as the promotion returns to Madison Square Garden for UFC 322. Headlining the event, Islam Makhachev will move up to welterweight to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the 170-pound title, aiming to become a two-division champion. Interestingly, Makhachev’s move has been on the radar of reigning lightweight king Ilia Topuria for some time.
The reason for this is that the Spaniard hoped to face the Dagestani at UFC 317 to chase his own double-champ ambitions. Though Topuria achieved that feat by knocking out Charles Oliveira in under three minutes, his interest in a future showdown with Makhachev remains strong. In a twist that has fans buzzing, Makhachev has now responded positively to Topuria’s challenge, setting the stage for a potential blockbuster clash at next year’s White House event.
Islam Makhachev Open to Facing Ilia Topuria Even at 155lbs for the Right Price
In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN, Islam Makhachev fueled excitement by addressing the possibility of finally facing Ilia Topuria. The former lightweight champion joined the growing list of UFC stars, including Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and Merab Dvalishvili, who have all expressed interest in competing on the massive White House card in June 2026.
When asked about the potential superfight with the Spaniard, Makhachev said, “He wants to fight in White House, I also want to be there. It’s gonna be big fight for the MMA community.”
Islam ready to face Ilia in the White House 🇺🇸🔥
When asked if it’s the biggest fight in the UFC right now, Islam said —“ He want to fight in the White House and I also want to be there.”“ I think, yeah, it’s gonna be big for the MMA community.”“ If UFC wants this fight, we… pic.twitter.com/2Ybg6pA4ky
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 27, 2025
He then spoke about the magnitude of such a matchup, adding, “If the UFC want this fight, we can do this. I know the UFC want to do a big fight at the White House, which fight is gonna be bigger than this? I have a good fight now and I know Ilia is going fight soon. We’ll see what’s going to be happening.”
Interestingly, Makhachev even hinted that he might consider making the cut back down to lightweight for the bout. He explained, “170 is going to be better for me. If I have to cut to 155, it’s going to be hard. Dana White has to pay for this.”
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Islam Makhachev says Dana White has to pay him if he wants the fight with Ilia Topuria at 155 😂
“170 is going to be better for me. If I have to cut to 155, it’s going to be hard. Dana White has to pay for this.”
(via @espnmma ) pic.twitter.com/AqqF5nUB2v
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 27, 2025
Okamoto also mentioned the potential advantage of Makhachev’s Ramadan fast, which could naturally help him lose weight. To that, Makhachev responded, “Yeah, Ramadan also, you lose weight, you know. We will see, after the fight [UFC 322], when I stop to use the creatine and protein, we will see how much is my weight.”
For context, Makhachev moved up to 170lbs due to the severe weight cuts he endured at lightweight. At 34 years old, many believed he would never return to 155lbs. However, his latest comments suggest that if the UFC offers the right incentive, he may take that challenge once more.
This development has fans buzzing, especially after Topuria recently reignited the conversation during a press conference in Georgia. The lightweight champion said that if Makhachev defeats Della Maddalena on November 15th, he is ready to face him next, even if it means moving up to welterweight and attempting to capture a third UFC title.
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