Chael Sonnen Says Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev Superfight “Has Gotten Further Apart” Despite Champ-Champ Buzz
Chael Sonnen thinks a superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria is not an “overly interesting” fight anymore. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen discussed that if the UFC has to make a superfight between Topuria and Makhachev, it should be a welterweight bout so that ‘El Matador’ has a chance to be the first three-division UFC champion.
However, the UFC Hall of Famer believes that after Makhachev became the welterweight champion, there have been discussions about him facing the legendary Kamaru Usman next. On the other hand, a fight between Topuria and the number one UFC lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan, seems more interesting at this point, after Tsarukyan beat Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar. Sonnen said:
“The landscape of MMA changes so fast. Last week, when I was asked [what fight would you do], the correct answer and the right answer was Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria. Now specifically, you do that fight at 170 pounds, so that for marketing reasons you can evoke the potential of champ champ champ status…. Now they finally have a reason to fight, but the fight has gotten further apart. It’s not overly interesting anymore, just because we have Kamaru Usman as a possibility for Islam, and you have Arman Tsarukyan to take on Ilia Topuria. So there’s not a big need for these guys to fight each other. They both have compelling work to do.”
Check out Chael Sonnen’s comments below (0:40):
What are Ilia Topuria’s plans?
Ilia Topuria has announced a hiatus from UFC because of personal reasons and won’t be fighting in the first quarter of 2026. In his absence, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim lightweight strap at UFC 324, and the winner of this bout will later meet Topuria in a unification bout.
The Georgian-Spaniard wants to fight Pimblett next and then move up to 170 pounds to fight Islam Makhachev. He has also suggested the idea of a pound-for-pound strap for which he and Makhachev can fight at catchweight.
“Maybe I’ll have one more fight, and then in the summer there’s a date when [the UFC] can let me move up to welterweight. Or maybe they’ll create a new belt called the ‘pound-for-pound title,’ at a catchweight and I’ll fight for [it].”
Check out Ilia Topuria’s comments below:
😳 Ilia Topuria wants to fight Islam Makhachev for a “pound-for-pound” title at a catchweight
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 24, 2025
“Maybe I’ll have one more fight, and then in the summer there’s a date when [the UFC] can let me move up to welterweight.
Or maybe they’ll create a new belt called the… pic.twitter.com/oiLb3yLKtn
Makhachev has also shown interest in fighting ‘El Matador.’ However, the Russian champ would prefer a bout at 170-pounds, and for him to move back down to 155-pounds, he says that the UFC has to come up with a very good deal.
