“Islam, if I want to, I can finish you. If I want to, I can knock you out. I’ll make it look easy. See you soon.” Ilia Topuria issued this stern warning on X after Islam Makhachev made quick work of Renato Moicano in the UFC 311 main event. However, ‘El Matador’s threat remains untested, as the Dagestani juggernaut has now moved up to the 170 lbs division to face Jack Della Maddalena. In pursuit of his dream to become a double champ.
The Georgian-Spaniard was widely perceived as the prime threat to Makhachev, thanks to his previous knockouts of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Topuria had always made bold claims about flatlining the soon-to-be former lightweight champ. Many believed it was just Topuria’s power that fueled his confidence to pull off the unthinkable. But the former 145 lbs champion had a whole process behind it. He even offered ‘JDM’ a solid piece of advice on how to secure a victory against Makhachev whenever they eventually collide in the future.
Ilia Topuria shares blueprint for Jack Della Maddalena to beat Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev might be one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC right now. The Dagestani champ seamlessly mixes his striking with his indomitable freestyle wrestling. Which more often than not overwhelms his opponents. However, Ilia Topuria believes that well-timed straight body shots can disrupt Makhachev’s takedown rhythm. That’s why he’s advised ‘JDM’ to do the same to secure a victory in their potential superfight down the line.
In the ‘mainevent’ interview, Topuria was asked what advice he would give to Della Maddalena. He responded, “The advice, like, he has to work the straight body shots. Because that takes away the intentions of the takedown. If he works with the straight body shots, he’s going to stop his intentions of takedowns. And he’s doing a great job with his striking. I like how he fights.”
January 18, 2025, Inglewood, California, USA: ISLAM MAKHACHEV 27-1-0 of Makhachkala, Russia defeats RENATO MOICANO 20-6-1 of Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil by submission DÃââ Arce choke at 4:05 of round 1 during UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California Inglewood USA – ZUMAo117 20250118_zsp_o117_031 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
That’s definitely an effective strategy laid out by Topuria. Straight body shots often work really well against wrestling-heavy fighters like Islam Makhachev. But whether the fight turns into close-range exchanges or Makhachev decides to shoot from a distance will make for an interesting scenario. This approach could also serve ‘El Matador’ well in his next fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, as both fighters like to press forward and engage in striking battles.
However, given how the former 145 lbs kingpin has gone into such a detailed breakdown of Islam Makhachev’s technique, it does raise the question, has Topuria truly moved on from him? Their potential fight generated plenty of hype but never materialized. Let’s see what he has to say.
Topuria unbothered by missing out on Makhachev superfight
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Topuria vs. Makhachev could have been a blockbuster fight for the UFC. Beyond the growing animosity between them, it would’ve also been a clash of two distinct fighting styles, making it a recipe for one of the highest-grossing events. The former featherweight champ had pushed hard for this fight and even listed it as his top priority. But now, it seems he no longer cares about that stellar matchup.
Continuing his interview with the mainevent, ‘El Matador’ added, “It doesn’t bother me if I never fight him. If the UFC wants it, I’m always gonna accept it. I never choose my opponents. I never say like against him, ‘yes, and with him no’. It’s like whoever is in front of me. I don’t care. Tell me when, where, and I’ll be there.”
Recently, Topuria has hinted that he’d be interested in fighting Makhachev at welterweight if he gets through Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, showing active interest in making the superfight happen. Although he hasn’t completely ruled it out, his stance now seems much more mellow compared to his initial approach, where Topuria appeared ready to chase Makhachev without any restraints.
Will that ever happen? It’s unlikely the UFC would give Topuria a chance to move up another division so soon. However, he’d no doubt be very interested in welcoming Makhachev back to lightweight if the Dagestani’s welterweight expedition doesn’t turn out to be a success. What do you think about that? Please comment below.
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