Merab Dvalishvili believes the best move for both Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria is to fight each other now.
Islam Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion, is currently waiting. He might move up to welterweight if his friend Belal Muhammad loses his title fight at UFC 315. Ilia Topuria recently gave up his featherweight title, hoping to get a chance to fight for the 155-pound championship.
Dvalishvili thinks the solution is straightforward.
“Topuria says he`s now a lightweight champion, not a featherweight,” Dvalishvili said. “Islam Makhachev says he doesn’t want to fight smaller guys. But Topuria is the biggest name right now.”
Makhachev is hesitant to fight Topuria partly because he has won against several former featherweights, like Alexander Volkanovski, in lightweight title fights. Other past opponents like Renato Moicano, Dustin Poirier, and Charles Oliveira also have featherweight backgrounds, although they have been competing at 155 pounds for a long time.
It`s unclear who Makhachev`s team sees as the ideal opponent, but Khabib Nurmagomedov has suggested Arman Tsarukyan. Dvalishvili is sure Makhachev would be a very tough opponent for Topuria, but he thinks it’s pointless for Topuria to fight someone else before getting a title shot that everyone wants to see.
“Makhachev already beat Tsarukyan, Oliveira, and Poirier,” Dvalishvili said, mentioning Makhachev`s past wins. “It won’t be an easy fight for Ilia, but fighting Oliveira first and possibly losing would be stupid.
“This fight with Makhachev is the real big fight.”
