![Henry Cejudo (left) seconds Islam Makhachev (middle) vs. Ilia Topuria (right). [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/c1fbb-17408211539896-1920.jpg)
![Henry Cejudo (left) seconds Islam Makhachev (middle) vs. Ilia Topuria (right). [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Henry Cejudo has weighed in on whether Ilia Topuria should fight UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev next. He also provided a brief breakdown of the matchup.
A potential super fight between Makhachev and Topuria has been brewing since 'El Matador' knocked out Max Holloway at UFC 308 last year. The Georgian-Spaniard has called out the Dagestani champion several times and has now vacated his featherweight title in pursuit of lightweight gold.
While Makhachev has been vocal about his own double championship aspirations, 170-pound champion Belal Muhammad is now set to defend his belt against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. Moreover, top-ranked lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is out of the title picture following his eleventh-hour withdrawal at UFC 311.
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While some want Topuria to fight a ranked 155-pounder before getting a title shot, Cejudo wants to see the unbeaten phenom take on Makhachev next. 'Triple C' said:
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"I think he should fight Islam Makhachev. I think when you knock out two guys like that, two first-ballot hall of famers, 100% does he deserve it. They had mentioned Arman Tsarukyan. They denied it cause Arman is nitty gritty man. They want want to take the chances of fighting Islam Makhachev and try to defeat him."
Breaking down the Makhachev vs. Topuria matchup, Cejudo added:
"If Islam cannot take Ilia down or if he doesn’t take him down early, dude, it could be very problematic for a guy like Islam Makhachev because Ilia Topuria he level changes his striking. He goes high, he goes low."
Check out Henry Cejudo's comments on Ilia Topuria below:
MMA analyst thinks Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria will happen in 2025
Luke Thomas believes that Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria is one of the biggest fights the UFC can do this year. Thomas believes that money is the primary driving factor for this fight to come to fruition in 2025.
He told Submission Radio:
"Money talks, and that’s the big one. I think it happens this year."
Check out Luke Thomas' comments below (12:10):
