Ilia Topuria Says a Loss Will Send Islam Makhachev Back To Dagestan “Herding his sheep.”
Ilia Topuria was speaking with members of the foreign media regarding Islam Makhachev’s future if he were to lose his upcoming welterweight title shot. When asked, “Would you prefer to fight Islam coming off a loss or Tsarukyan off a win?” the champion replied, “If Islam loses, he goes back to Dagestan to farm and continue shepherding his sheep. But if he wins, I’ll definitely move up. One hundred percent.”
Ilia Topuria is making it clear that he will chase Islam to any weight division he moves to. The implication that he would be willing to move up in an attempt to capture a third belt is confident, to say the least. Already considered a smaller man for the lightweight division, fans have no reason to doubt Ilia. He has achieved everything he said he would, and with style. A knockout artist who can also submit high-level grapplers, Topuria is as well rounded as they come.
That said, Islam Makhachev has proven himself to be a completely different beast. He submitted Charles Oliveira, the fighter with the most submissions in UFC history, without breaking a sweat. Islam left the lightweight division as its most successful champion of all time.
Islam Makhachev’s Shot at Superfight Legacy
How does Islam Makhachev vs Jack Della Maddalena rank among past UFC superfights, should it go down?
The first major superfight between reigning champions came at UFC 94 in 2009, when BJ Penn moved up to challenge Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title. It was the first time active titleholders faced one another in the UFC. GSP retained his belt, dominating Penn and cementing his place as one of the sport’s greats.
Next came Conor McGregor’s historic run. After knocking out featherweight legend José Aldo, he moved up and defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 to become the first fighter to hold two UFC titles simultaneously.
Amanda Nunes secured her status as the greatest female fighter in MMA history with a stunning first-round knockout over Cris Cyborg, capturing her second belt and becoming the women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion.
Another iconic clash came when Daniel Cormier, then the reigning light heavyweight champion, faced heavyweight titleholder Stipe Miocic. Cormier shocked the world with a first-round knockout, joining the elite list of double champions.
If Islam Makhachev defeats Jack Della Maddalena to become a two-division champion, it would not only place him alongside these legends but also mark one of the most stylistically intriguing superfights in recent memory. It would also make him the only fighter in UFC history to defeat multiple reigning champions from different weight classes.
