Movsar Evloev Says Ilia Topuria Should Avoid Islam Makhachev Fight: “He will lose everything”
Movsar Evloev has given his two cents on a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria super fight.
Makhachev is currently gearing up for the first defense of his welterweight title. On the other hand, undisputed UFC lightweight champion Topuria, who went on hiatus from fighting for personal reasons, has sorted out his problems outside the octagon and returned to training. He’s expected to take on interim champion Justin Gaethje on June 14.
However, given that Topuria vs. Makhachev is a massive fight, the promotion could leave everything aside and allow the Georgian-Spaniard to move up and challenge the pound-for-pound king. Both camps have expressed interest in the matchup, and fans are eager to see it materialize.
While many believe Ilia Topuria has the raw power to put Islam Makhachev to sleep and become the first three-division UFC champion, Movsar Evloev disagrees. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Evloev warned Topuria and said that if the latter fights Makhachev, he would lose everything, as the 34-year-old is on another level.
“It’s a stupid move. I think if Ilia does this [fighting Islam], he will lose everything. But he has the power to fight at lightweight, and I don’t think it’s going to be a good fight for Gaethje if they face each other. If Ilia touches Justin, he’ll knock him out, but with Islam, it’s not going to happen. Islam is so huge and on another level.”
Check out Movsar Evloev’s comments below:
The undefeated Evloev, on the other hand, is going to lock horns with Lerone Murphy at UFC London on March 21, and the winner of this bout is expected to meet current and two-time featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski next.
Rizvan Magomedov weighs in on who could be next for Islam Makhachev
With Shavkat Rakhmonov removed from the UFC rankings due to an injury that will further delay his return, Islam Makhachev could be defending his 170-pound title against Ian Machado Garry or Michael Morales.
However, his manager, Rizvan Magomedov, recently revealed that Kamaru Usman is on the list of potential opponents the pound-for-pound king could fight next. He told Sport24:
“They’re discussing the next fight, and Kamaru Usman is on the list of possible opponents. If you ask us, we’d also like that fight, because it’s one of the biggest fights that can be made in the division right now. As always, the final word is with the organization. Islam is ready to defend… From a media perspective, the fight with Kamaru Usman would be the most interesting and watchable for the public.”
Check out Islam Makhachev’s manager, Rizvan Magomedov’s comments below:
Islam Makhachev has also shown interest in the Usman matchup and believes the latter is his hardest challenge at welterweight.
However, given Usman’s current form and recent activity, there have been discussions about whether he should be fast-tracked for a title shot because of his legacy and records.
