Is Ilia Topuria the toughest test for Islam Makhachev at lightweight? Former UFC champion weighs in 

Ilia Topuria might be the toughest puzzle Islam Makhachev has ever faced, according to a former UFC champion.

Aljamain Sterling recently broke down why Topuria’s blend of skills could spell serious trouble for the lightweight king. The former UFC bantamweight champion pointed to Makhachev’s first fight with Alexander Volkanovski as the basis of his opinion. Volkanovski, despite the size gap, pushed Makhachev to the edge without traditional wrestling. Sterling believes that’s where Topuria separates himself.

Unlike Volkanovski, Topuria has a formidable grappling pedigree, with Greco-Roman experience and solid jiu-jitsu skills to back it up. Speaking about a potential clash between Topuria and Makhachev in an interview with Helen Yee, Sterling said:

"He [Topuria] can wrestle. He doesn’t need to do like Volk. Volk’s never actually wrestled traditionally to have that base. Ilia actually has that. Even though it was Greco, he has really good jiu-jitsu. It’s a very compelling fight from a stylistic approach. It’s just like, what does Islam do other than just being the bigger guy?"

Sterling added:

“I feel it’s hard, because then if he [Makhachev] beats him [Topuria], then I know people are going to say, ‘You beat a featherweight.’ So that’s a little unfair. It’s going to be a great fight nonetheless. But I do hope they make the Ilia fight.”

Check out Aljamain Sterling's comments below (21:00):

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Alexander Volkanovski previews potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria clash

After facing both Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, Alexander Volkanovski believes the Spaniard has a real shot at derailing the lightweight champion.

With Topuria now officially moving to lightweight, Volkanovski believes his sharp hands and takedown defense make him a serious threat. He predicted a scenario where Topuria clips Makhachev early and ends the fight before the champion’s grappling and cardio take over.

Previewing the fight in an interview with Daniel Cormier, Topuria said:

“Ilia is that dangerous. The only way I see Islam losing is someone catching him... But who’s got the best chance of doing that? Someone like Ilia. It’s definitely a fun fight. I think if it goes 25 minutes, it’s all Islam. But there’s a good chance Ilia can catch him because he’s obviously got that very tidy boxing. Them earlier rounds, I think his takedown defense might help him a bit… But them later rounds, what I thought he’d struggle with Max, but he was able to put him out before then, would be the same case with Islam.”

Check out Alexander Volkanovski's comments below (18:00):