Despite being ranked as the UFC`s best pound-for-pound fighter, Islam Makhachev faces accusations of avoiding a fight with Ilia Topuria.
Ilia Topuria relinquished his UFC Featherweight title with the expectation of challenging Islam Makhachev for the Lightweight belt. He moved up in weight class to pursue this championship match.
However, the fight has not been scheduled yet. Topuria has been actively promoting a clash with Makhachev, but Makhachev seems to consider Arman Tsarukyan or Justin Gaethje as more deserving contenders for the title shot than Topuria, the former Featherweight Champion.
Consequently, Topuria has accused Makhachev of dodging him, an opinion shared by UFC veteran Ben Askren.
Ben Askren Believes Islam Makhachev Should Be Stripped of Title by Dana White
Ben Askren, a former UFC fighter, believes Makhachev is avoiding a fight against Topuria.
He suggested to Daniel Cormier that Dana White, the UFC president, should strip Makhachev of his Lightweight title if he continues to refuse defending it against Topuria in the Octagon.
“I think Dana should use his authority and declare, `Islam, if you are unwilling to fight, you will be stripped of the title.` This is something Dana has done before,” Askren stated.
“If you are the champion, you are expected to defend your title against the most deserving challenger, right? Ilia has recently defeated two legendary fighters consecutively, and not only defeated them but finished them.”
“Having a strong figure like a `tyrant` or `dictator` in charge can be beneficial because it simplifies matters. It`s obvious that if Topuria is moving up a weight class after vacating his Featherweight title, he is a top contender, and Makhachev is the champion. They should fight, shouldn`t they?”
“Therefore, if the number one fighter, Makhachev, is reluctant to fight, you should insist, `You have to fight.` And if he refuses? Then remove him.”
Daniel Cormier Questions Topuria as Makhachev`s Best Opponent
While Askren advocates for Dana White to take strict action against Makhachev, Daniel Cormier believes there are more compelling matchups for the champion than Topuria.
Cormier views a potential fight with Topuria as a less significant challenge for Makhachev, similar to Makhachev’s previous victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284.
“Volkanovski was the number one pound-for-pound fighter at that time,” Cormier noted.
“After Makhachev defeated him, the narrative quickly became, `he just defeated a featherweight.` People will likely still diminish a victory over Topuria by saying, `Well, he just beat another featherweight.`”
Makhachev`s next opponent remains unconfirmed, leaving open the possibility of Topuria being his next challenger in the UFC.
Rupert Hartwell