Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria has all the ingredients to become one of the biggest fights the sport has ever seen. If it ever happens, it would be the kind of matchup that captures attention far beyond MMA’s core audience. With recent results keeping both men on winning trajectories, the momentum behind this fight continues to grow, and it feels increasingly inevitable
That said, a fight of this magnitude only makes sense under one specific condition: it has to take place at lightweight (155 lbs).
The appeal of Makhachev vs Topuria comes from skill, precision, and competitive balance. When Topuria was ruling the featherweight division, he made it clear that his long-term goal was to move up and challenge Makhachev at 155 pounds. At that point, the matchup felt natural — elite grappling versus elite boxing, champion versus champion, with neither man holding an overwhelming physical advantage.
The dynamic changed once Makhachev moved up to welterweight. While that move opened new doors for him, it complicated the logic of a potential clash with Topuria. Even after committing to lightweight, Topuria is now exploring the idea of chasing Makhachev at 170 pounds. On paper, that may sound historic, but in reality, it undermines what makes the fight compelling in the first place.
Topuria has never relied on size to dominate. Early in his career, he competed across lower weight classes, and even at featherweight, he wasn’t physically imposing compared to the rest of the division. His move up to lightweight was driven more by the difficulty of cutting weight than by any natural size advantage. And when he competed for gold at 155, the size disparity was obvious — he looked noticeably smaller than the division’s larger lightweights.
At welterweight, that gap would only widen. Makhachev would carry a clear physical edge in strength, frame, and mass, shifting the fight away from technical brilliance and toward sheer physical imbalance. That kind of disparity doesn’t elevate the matchup; it dulls it.
A fight this important should be decided by skill, not size. At 170 pounds, the advantage would lean heavily in one direction, making the outcome more predictable and the contest less engaging. There are already intriguing and competitive matchups waiting at welterweight that better test Makhachev at that size, while lightweight remains the division where Topuria can compete on equal footing.
Ultimately, Makhachev vs Topuria still matters. It still has the potential to be special. But only if it’s made under fair and logical conditions. At lightweight, it’s a battle of champions. Anywhere else, it risks becoming something far less meaningful.
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