"No sh*t", "Put your house on Ilia by KO" - Fans react as Islam Makhachev opens up as heavy favorite against Ilia Topuria in potential matchup

Islam Makhachev
A betting line has positioned Islam Makhachev (left) as a sizable favorite over Ilia Topuria (right) in a hypothetical contest and MMA social media has sounded off [Images Courtesy: @Topuriailia and @MAKHACHEVMMA on X]

UFC matchmakers scheduling Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria would make a dream come true for several fans. Moreover, many betting fanatics would love to see a betting line on the hypothetical contest generating a lot of online discourse. An outlet known as Bet US with Makhachev is a -350 favorite, while Topuria stands a +225 underdog.

X account known as @OnPointMMA shared these odds as a graphic. Some fans seemed to understand why the reigning UFC lightweight champion would be a sizable favorite, while many felt the current UFC featherweight titleholder could hold an underdog's value.

X users enthusiastically discussed not just the line but got into machinations of the matchup and how this massive prizefight could play out if it ever got booked someday. Some reactions are listed below:

@Ebab117 spoke about Islam's physique:

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"No s**t. He's big enough and good enough to be the WW champion"

@nobody_goat_mma shared his confidence about Ilia's abilities:

"Put your house on Ilia by KO"

@MediaMausoleum like the odds:

"Interesting odds"
[Images Courtesy: @OnPointMMA tweet thread on X]
[Images Courtesy: @OnPointMMA tweet thread on X]

Check out the hypothetical Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria odds below


Islam Makhachev and the goal of double-champ status in the UFC

To the point of one commentator above who felt like Islam Makhachev could become a welterweight champion someday, this is something that the lightweight titleholder has as a defined goal. Makhachev mentioned this during a recent sit-down interview with Daniel Cormier ahead of Makhachev's looming 155-pound title defense in a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan.

The 33-year-old mapped out his aspirations post-UFC 311 for capturing 170-pound gold in the UFC, which is interesting considering the current welterweight champion is someone with a history as a training partner.

Belal Muhammad currently lords over the welterweight division, and the situation here becomes more intriguing when you consider Muhammad has claimed he would not pursue fighting Makhachev.

The Dagestan native did not expressly call out Belal Muhammad necessarily, but many did not take that as Makhachev, hinting at a drop-down to featherweight.

However, if he referred to wanting the 145-pound title, this would lead to the referenced hypothetical bout above between Makhachev and Topuria potentially becoming a reality someday.

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Edited by Himakshu Vyas
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