Dana White fuels the spark for Topuria vs Makhachev

Not even a month has passed since Ilia Topuria's last fight. On June 28, El Matador wrote a new chapter in mixed martial arts (MMA) history. After knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round, he entered the history of UFC double champions as the tenth to achieve this feat. He is also the first to do so undefeated . His performance also earned him the number one spot in the company's pound-for-pound rankings.

And although his future seems half-decided between Paddy Pimblett or Arman Tsarukyan, some people are already visualizing a fight beyond that. It's Islam Makhachev . When Ilia Topuria slung both belts over his shoulders at the end of UFC 317, the Russian's name was one of the most talked about, along with the phrase "we need that fight." It's what was long requested, and now it's back in the conversation. The current number one and two in the pound-for-pound rankings, face to face.

Dana White knows this. It's one of the best fights, if not the best, currently available. For this to happen, there are two paths, and both depend on Islam Makhachev. The first would be for him to be defeated by Jack Della Maddalena in his welterweight bout (170 pounds or 77.1 kilos), and decide to return to lightweight (155 pounds or 70.3 kilos). The other option, with double the risk but double the reward, is for the Russian to triumph in his new division. This way, Topuria could attempt to achieve the Triple Crown , something never done before.

"If Islam wins the title, you'll immediately have a big fight with him and Ilia ," Dana White noted in a recent interview with the Full Send Podcast. While this seems to suggest a superfight between two champions, we must take into account the words of Ilia Topuria. He revealed that the UFC asked him not to comment on moving up to 170 pounds. The reason is unknown to the Spanish-Georgian, but he explains that it may be to avoid a mismatch between the different weight classes.

It's important to remember that when a fighter moves up a weight class to fight directly for the belt, it cripples the division he's from and hampers contenders in the new division. This makes it difficult to stage these kinds of fights. Still, money rules. The UFC is a business and will do everything possible to increase its profits. And if that means holding the fight between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev , they'll certainly do it.