Ex-UFC champ discusses Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria, Khalil Rountree Jr. talks UFC 307 loss, MMA journalist calls out Dana White: MMA News Roundup

Ex-UFC champ talks potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria bout, Khalil Rountree Jr. gets brutally honest about Alex Pereira defeat, MMA journalist blasts Dana White for Jon Jones glazing.

Find out more details in today's (Dec. 28) Sportskeeda daily news roundup.

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#3. Ex-UFC champion talks potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria bout

Former UFC double champ Henry Cejudo recently weighed in on the potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria, stating it could be one of the biggest fights in UFC history.

Over recent months, Topuria has regularly expressed his desire to step up to lightweight, with rumors also suggesting it could be his next fight. Due to Topuria's status as a champion, and the fact that Alexander Volkanovski also tried his shot against Makhachev and the 155-pound, 'El Matador' is expected to be granted his chance in 2025.

Speaking on his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cejudo weighed in on the potential bout and discussed just how big it could be. He said:

"I personally believe that (Makhachev vs. Topuria) could potentially be bigger than Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Competitively, of course, man. It’s not just that – it’s the simple fact that Ilia Topuria has a chance to become champ-champ. The heavyweight division, we’ll just know who’s the real undisputed champion."

Check out Henry Cejudo's comments here (41:20):

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#2. Khalil Rountree Jr. gets brutally honest while discussing Alex Pereira loss

Khalil Rountree Jr. recently opened up on his defeat to Alex Pereira at UFC 307, admitting that despite the loss, it made him happy as he proved he belonged at the top of the division.

'The War Horse' put on a strong showing against Pereira, arguably giving the Brazilian his toughest test at light heavyweight, before he was eventually finished by the Brazilian in the fourth round.

Speaking in a recent interview with Fight Energy Films, Rountree Jr. discussed the fight and how he feels months on from the contest. He said:

"So in the locker room, I was very relaxed to the point to where I asked my coach like I’m very relaxed. Like is that okay? And he’s like yeah it’s perfect...Even the moment when I got finished in the fourth round, I just felt so happy throughout that whole fight. It felt like I was where I belong, I felt like I belong there. It was really like living in a dream.”

Check out Khalil Rountree Jr.'s comments here:

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#1. MMA journalist calls out Dana White for Jon Jones "glazing"

MMA journalist Andy Stevenson called out Dana White for his continuous backing of Jon Jones during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.

The UFC CEO has regularly backed 'Bones' for his skills in the octagon throughout his career. He appears to have doubled down more than ever over recent months, despite the changing opinion of some fans and MMA media.

According to Stevenson, White's refusual to backdown from his praise of Jones is to his detriment, but he is interested to see how it may shift, should Jones vs. Tom Aspinall happen in the future. He explained:

"He’s [White] been glazing Jones left, right, and center for months...Once Jones enters contract negotiations, the focus might shift. Glazing Jones could take a backseat for a moment, and the narrative might shift toward Tom Aspinall…At the end of the day, Dana will switch up whenever it benefits the UFC business."

Check out Andy Stevenson's comments here (7:42):