According to Henry Cejudo, Khabib Nurmagomedov might be the reason why a potential superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria isn`t happening right away.
Earlier this year, Topuria announced he would vacate his featherweight title to move up to the lightweight division and aim for a second championship belt. This sparked speculation about whether Topuria would receive an immediate title shot. Topuria himself hinted at a promise for a direct title fight. However, Makhachev seems hesitant about this idea, and Cejudo believes he understands the reason.
Cejudo recounted a conversation with Khabib, where Khabib expressed that it wouldn`t be fair for Topuria to jump ahead and challenge Islam for the title without earning it, especially considering Islam has consistently faced contenders who moved up in weight, like Alexander Volkanovski. Cejudo believes Khabib might intervene and insist that Topuria first faces the top-ranked lightweight contender.
Cejudo added that Khabib indicated he would be open to a Topuria title shot if Topuria defeats a No. 1 contender. Cejudo believes Islam himself is willing to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere, but Khabib is more likely to act as a gatekeeper, potentially saying no to an immediate title shot for Topuria. Because of this, Cejudo speculates that the next fight for Islam Makhachev might be against Justin Gaethje at International Fight Week.
Makhachev currently holds the longest reign as lightweight champion in the UFC and, in January, surpassed the record for most lightweight title defenses by defeating Renato Moicano at UFC 311. However, a point of criticism against Makhachev`s title reign is that two of his defenses were against Alexander Volkanovski, who was the featherweight champion at the time. This is why Makhachev has expressed disinterest in fighting another featherweight champion and wants Topuria to first prove himself against a lightweight contender. Cejudo even suggested a possible opponent for Topuria.
Cejudo proposed that the UFC could match Ilia Topuria against Dustin Poirier in Louisiana. He also mentioned that Charles Oliveira might be reluctant to fight Topuria unless it`s for the title, stating he would fight Topuria only when he is champion. Cejudo suggests that Oliveira might not have much leverage in this situation, and if a fighter refuses to fight someone for a title shot after already losing an opportunity, the UFC might sideline them. Therefore, Cejudo envisions a potential matchup between Ilia Topuria and Dustin Poirier.
Cejudo noted that Dustin Poirier has said he only wants to fight “legends” in his retirement fight, and Ilia Topuria has recently started calling himself a “legend.”
