One other crazy week within the UFC has come to an end; even though it’ll actually take some time for fans to return to grips with ‘El Matador’ officially moving on from featherweight.
Earlier this week, the MMA world was sent right into a frenzy when it was announced that Ilia Topuria had vacated his UFC title in favor of a long-awaited move as much as 155lbs.
Almost immediately after that news hit the airwaves, fans began to invest on whether this meant Ilia Topuria would jump the queue to face the dominant Dagestani reigning over his recent division – Dana White has the newest news.
Dana White provides vague update on Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev
Speaking after the controversial UFC Fight Night Seattle most important event, Dana White was asked whether Ilia Topuria had vacated the featherweight title himself, or if the UFC had stripped him of his shiny gold belt.
“He did that – he said, ‘I’ve done every part I can do here, I’m able to move up’ and so he vacated it,” explained White.
“He said that he shouldn’t be holding up anybody’s opportunities and you understand, I all the time respect it when guys do this.”
When asked if the promotion is now trying to book Topuria vs Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title, White selected to maintain his cards near his chest.
“There are still other possibilities, there’s numerous s— happening without delay, otherwise I’d’ve said [that fight’s on].”
The potential undefeated vs undefeated title bout has divided the broader MMA community, but additionally seemingly split Makhachev’s own team – along with his manager contradicting his coach’s endorsement of Topuria as a possible next opponent.
“Topuria vs. Dustin/Charles contender fight, to prove he’s a legit lightweight. So we don’t need to defeat one other ‘small featherweight,’” said manager Rizvan Magomedov on X.
“We’d like big fights that make sense for everybody… We already gave probabilities to a featherweight champ that was reigning for a very long time.”
Malki Kawa, Topuria’s manager, was quick to hit back at those comments and was keen to “get the facts right” in a video shared to his Instagram page.
“He knocked out [Alexander] Volkanovski in his first opportunity to knock him out, the fight wasn’t close…. Then he knocks out Max Holloway who happens to be one in all the best 145lb fighters of all time.
“I’m unsure why he doesn’t deserve a shot at 155lbs, but I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t want my client to fight Ilia Topuria either.”
Dana White reacts to UFC Fight Night most important event controversy
Whilst Topuria vs Makhachev stays among the finest fights that the UFC could make without delay; that’s tomorrow’s news – tonight’s all about Henry Cejudo vs Song Yadong.
The most important event of UFC Seattle led to controversial circumstances after the previous double champion was left unable to proceed after a nasty double eye-poke.
“I don’t know [what he was thinking], I’ll let him answer all those questions,” said White on Cejudo’s decision to withdraw after the foul.
“Song looked good, but yeah, only he can answer those questions. I don’t know if he thought, ‘If I stop here, is that this a DQ or a No Contest?’.”
Each Cejudo and Song agreed to run it back within the octagon, although White wasn’t too keen on the thought of a rematch.
