Ex-UFC champ shares no-holds-barred opinion on Ilia Topuria's chances against Islam Makhachev in potential fight: "That’s an incredible fight"

Ilia Topuria is determined to prove he is the best fighter in the world. The reigning UFC featherweight champion has called for a move to lightweight to challenge Islam Makhachev, the current 155-pound champion and top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter. Topuria believes he can dominate Makhachev and cement his legacy as a two-division champion.

Topuria’s recent performances have thrust his name into the discussion of the best fighters on the roster today. While he remains open to defending his featherweight title, his true goal is to move up and take on Makhachev, confident that he can submit the Dagestani.

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping sees the potential clash as an exciting matchup. He acknowledges Makhachev’s dominance in wrestling and his improving striking but believes Topuria’s confidence and well-rounded skillset make him a serious threat.

Speaking about the fight in a recent interview with Submission Radio, Bisping said:

“That’s an incredible fight. lia Topuria, what he’s been able to do, what he’s achieved in such a short space, so impressed! The same with Islam. Islam is incredible. Nobody can sit here and criticize Islam. The fight style that he has, the way that he’s able to use his wrestling to such effectiveness. The striking is always improving and catching up." [H/t: MMA Junkie]

Bisping added:

“But on the flip side, Ilia is a smaller guy, though. So you take two guys with great skill sets, the bigger guy is always going to win. But if anyone could make that happen, it’s Ilia Topuria. The man said what he’s going to do right from the beginning, changed his bio to champion of the world. He’s knocked out [Alexander] Volkanovski. He’s knocked out Max Holloway. He’s knocking out everybody, and apparently he’s even better at wrestling than he is at boxing.”

Check out Michael Bisping's comments below (12:30):

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Dustin Poirier breaks down Ilia Topuria's chances in potential clash against Islam Makhachev

Ilia Topuria is on a mission to become a three-weight UFC champion. Topuria has dominated featherweight, securing brutal wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.

Dustin Poirier acknowledged Topuria’s knockout ability across multiple divisions but sees Islam Makhachev as a significant challenge for the Spaniard. Makhachev possesses elite wrestling and size advantage, which could pose problems for Topuria. Previwing the fight in a recent interview with 'The Schmo', Porier said:

"There [are] still guys I think at 145 for Topuria to fight. I've never seen Topuria in person but if he can make 145... Dude, Islam's a big guy. I think he's going to be a lot bigger than Topuria. But that being said, Topuria is an assassin and I believe he can knock out anybody from 145 to 170 pounds."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (5:00):