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UFC is already planning Islam Makhachev's next fight, according to his manager Ali Abdelaziz. Elsewhere, fans wonder if the promotion's negotiations with Jon Jones are going poorly.
Here are the top combat sports rumors from this week, presented by Sportskeeda MMA.
Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria next?
Following Islam Makhachev's dominating first-round win over Renato Moicano at UFC 311 on Saturday night, Ilia Topuria penned a cryptic reaction. The tweet hinted that the two would meet in the octagon shortly.
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"Islam, if I want to, I can finish you. If I want to, I can knock you out. I'll make it look easy. See you soon."
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Topuria followed it up with a wink emoji, teasing fans and leading them to believe that the fight was in the making.
The rumor is also fueled by Makhachev's desire to become a double or even triple UFC champion before he retires.
MMA fans and fan accounts started posting about the potential fight, debating on how the fight would go. Some even likened it to the infamous rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, as Makhachev is Nurmagomedov's friend and protege while Topuria displays a similar personality as the Irishman.
UFC may have a very different plan for Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz poured cold water on the rumor of the fight with Ilia Topuria, although in the world of MMA, a 'never say never' approach is always a good measure to take.
Taking to X a day after Makhachev's victory, Abdelaziz stated that the UFC already has a plan for the Dagestani that does not involve Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan, or Ilia Topuria. However, it is not set in stone.
Oliveira has already called Makhachev out for a rematch.
Dana White has clearly stated that Tsarukyan will not get an immediate rebooking after pulling out of UFC 311 at the last hour, which the Armenian took quite sportingly.
Abdelaziz further added that they were looking at a fight against Justin Gaethje or Benel Dariush, which are two names Makhachev has yet to face.
Is Conor McGregor the next Irish PM?
A few months back, before the 2024 Irish elections, Conor McGregor started tweeting heavily about his country's politics. He even claimed that he would run for office eventually when he was done with fighting.
The Irishman recently made an appearance at Donald Trump's victory rally in Washington D.C. ahead of the inauguration and rubbed shoulders with the who's who of world politics. This rekindled the rumor of him becoming the next leader of Ireland on social media.
In an interview with Daily Wire at the event, he was asked by the reporter to comment on the matter. McGregor simply said:
"We will see."
UFC's negotiations with Jon Jones likely going poorly
Fans believe that Dana White pronouncing Islam Makhachev as his new No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter points at a rift with Jon Jones.
Up until last Saturday, White had been praising 'Bones' at every opportunity and was steadfast in naming no one but him as his MMA GOAT of all time. While Makhachev's performance at UFC 311 was impressive, fans wonder if there is more to the CEO changing his mind.
Journalist Peter Carroll floated the notion on X, suggesting that negotiations with Jones about the Tom Aspinall fight may not be going as expected.
Some fans agreed with Carroll's take, while others claimed that it was a temporary sentiment and did not hold much weight. Another theory speculated that White was trying to light a fire in Jones to try and get him to return and fight Aspinall.
Khamzat Chimaev's next fight
This one is less of a rumor as it was heard straight from the horse's mouth.
During the UFC 311 post-fight press conference, Dana White said that Khamzat Chimaev could potentially fight the winner of Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland.
However, 'Borz' has faced issues previously regarding his health and traveling abroad, which could prove it difficult for the promotion to execute the booking.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford may finally have a date
According to a report by Mike Coppinger, later shared by Turki Alalshikh-backed Ring Magazine, Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford is almost a done deal.
The rumor of the two fighting has been going around for years now. It seems like the contest will finally go down in September 2025 at 168 pounds with Alvarez's super-middleweight world titles on the line. There will reportedly be no rehydration clause.
