Islam Makhachev has vacated his UFC lightweight championship to pursue a welterweight title shot against newly crowned champion Jack Della Maddalena. This decision effectively cancels what many considered the potential fight of the year between Makhachev and featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.
The 33-year-old Russian fighter has chosen to move up to the 170-pound division rather than defend his 155-pound title against Topuria, who had been actively campaigning for the matchup.
"I think it will be in the United States, probably in October or November," Della Maddalena revealed in an interview with The Grin Reapers regarding his upcoming defense against Makhachev. "They had planned a PPV in Mexico, but I think everything has changed. Now it's early October in Las Vegas."
Makhachev's decision mirrors Topuria's own career move. The Spanish-Georgian fighter had previously vacated his featherweight belt for a shot at the lightweight championship. However, with Makhachev's departure from the division, Topuria will now face former champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title instead.
Interestingly, Makhachev had previously dismissed the idea of fighting Topuria, arguing that victories against fighters from lower weight classes - referencing his two wins against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski - hold little merit.
By the time Makhachev steps into the octagon against Della Maddalena, he will have been inactive for nearly ten months. Some fans and UFC stars have speculated that the Russian may be deliberately avoiding a potentially risky matchup with Topuria, who remains undefeated and is heavily favored to defeat Oliveira for the lightweight crown.
UFC has also confirmed that their Mexican-themed event "Noche UFC" has been relocated from Guadalajara to San Antonio, Texas, and downgraded from a pay-per-view to a Fight Night format.
With both champions moving in different directions, will we ever see the much-anticipated Makhachev-Topuria clash? For now, fight fans will have to settle for watching their separate journeys in different weight classes.
