Belal Muhammad, intimately familiar with the considerable effort required to earn a UFC title opportunity, expressed confusion as to why Ilia Topuria might receive an immediate shot after voluntarily relinquishing his featherweight title to change weight classes.
Since announcing his permanent move to 155 pounds, Topuria has repeatedly called for a fight against the current lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, even asserting that the UFC had guaranteed him this chance. Makhachev countered by highlighting the previous criticism he faced for defeating former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice, suggesting another win over a fighter from the 145-pound division would do little for his legacy unless Topuria first clearly proved himself as a top contender in the lightweight division.
Muhammad, who is both a friend and training partner of Makhachev, echoed these sentiments and dismissed any notion that the UFC lightweight champion is avoiding any opponent.
“It`s absurd,” Muhammad stated. “People consistently refuse to give Team Khabib [Nurmagomedov] the respect they deserve. They are so desperate to see them lose, constantly looking to discredit and hate on them regardless of the outcome. When Islam defeated [Alexander] Volkanovski, who was widely considered the pound-for-pound best at the time, in a competitive fight, the narrative was, `Oh, he`s terrible… he didn`t finish him, he should have finished him, Volkanovski is just a 145er.` Then, when he went out and secured a finish, they still just said, `Well, Volkanovski is a `45er anyway.`”
He continued:
“Now Topuria, who I believe is slightly smaller than Volkanovski, is moving up, and if Islam dominates him, the response will likely be, `Oh well, he`s just a `45er, he can always drop back down.` There is genuinely nothing to gain for Islam by fighting him at this point.”
Recent speculation suggests Topuria is aiming for the upcoming UFC 317 event on June 28 during International Fight Week for his next bout, and it`s anticipated that he will vie for a lightweight title, regardless of whether Makhachev is the opponent.
This raises questions: could an interim title be introduced? Is it even conceivable that Makhachev would be stripped of his belt?
Muhammad finds neither of these possibilities appealing. He regards Makhachev as the current top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, noting his reputation as someone willing to take on any challenge, a characteristic even commemorated with a quote at the UFC Performance Institute.
Muhammad quoted Makhachev saying, “`Let him fight someone else, earn it.` Islam isn`t refusing to fight him; he`s saying he should earn the opportunity. We, on Team Khabib, face this constantly; people already criticize my resume and show hate no matter what. So let Topuria go and defeat someone like Charles Oliveira – why does it have to be for a title? You vacated your belt. You chose to move up on your own terms because you didn`t want to cut the weight.
“It`s not as if you defended the featherweight belt extensively, like 10 or even 5 times. When Volkanovski moved up, he had already defeated nearly everyone in his division; he genuinely earned his shot. Topuria, on the other hand, still had contenders like Diego Lopes, Yair [Rodriguez], and the undefeated [Movsar] Evloev remaining at 145 pounds. There are still plenty of challenges for him in that division. He is simply making a personal choice to move up. That`s precisely why I believe he should compete in at least one more fight at 155 pounds to solidify his claim for a title shot. It absolutely should not be for an interim title, or any immediate shot. Islam defends his belt regularly, essentially every year.”
It`s difficult to dispute Muhammad`s rationale, considering Makhachev`s dominant reign since becoming lightweight champion, which includes setting a record with four title defenses in the UFC`s 155-pound division. Furthermore, Muhammad is firmly convinced that Topuria must demonstrate his capability within the lightweight division. His sole fight at this weight class in the UFC saw him significantly rocked early by Jai Herbert before ultimately securing a knockout victory.
Muhammad knows firsthand that Makhachev is a formidable force on the ground, and Topuria would be wise to keep this in mind. Additionally, there is no shortage of established potential contenders already competing at 155 pounds whom Makhachev could face before Topuria potentially jumps the queue.
“[Topuria] has competed at lightweight previously. He was dropped by Jai Herbert in that fight. We have also seen him taken down by Bryce Mitchell. If Islam gets on top of you and takes you down, you are not getting back up. If Islam connects with that head kick, you are not getting back up.”
He concluded:
“From [Makhachev`s team`s] perspective, what significant benefit is there to gain from this fight beyond the financial aspect? It`s similar to how [Makhachev] hasn`t fought Justin Gaethje yet – no matter who Justin fights, he consistently merits a title shot. He could have just one win and still fight for the title. Paddy Pimblett is currently on a significant winning streak. There are numerous fighters at 155 pounds that he could face. Arman [Tsarukyan] is still a viable opponent. There are other compelling matchups available. Therefore, he isn`t in a position where he desperately needs to fight someone from the `45-pound division.”
