Many fans are excited about the possibility of a fight between two of the best pound-for-pound fighters at UFC 317.
While the heavyweight title unification fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall is still uncertain, another significant match has been discussed for one of the year`s biggest events.
Ilia Topuria has expressed interest in fighting top lightweights since moving up to 155 pounds, but the fight most fans want to see is Topuria against Islam Makhachev.
Henry Cejudo mentioned recently that Khabib Nurmagomedov might prevent this matchup, believing Topuria needs a win at 155 pounds first.
A recent report indicates that even if that weren`t the case, Makhachev`s own plans might prevent the fight from happening on June 28 in Las Vegas.
Islam Makhachev Reportedly Awaiting UFC 315 Before Deciding Next Opponent
Since defeating Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, Islam Makhachev has stated his desire to move up to welterweight and compete for a second title.
Having already fought Alexander Volkanovski, a champion from a lower weight class, twice in 2023, Makhachev feels he deserves a similar opportunity.
However, the situation became complicated when Belal Muhammad, who has trained with Makhachev`s team, defeated Leon Edwards at UFC 304 to win the welterweight title.
Muhammad was initially scheduled to defend his title at UFC 310 but had to withdraw due to injury. His first title defense is now set for UFC 315 on May 10.
While fans would prefer to see Makhachev fight Topuria, it`s understandable why the lightweight champion might want to move to 170 pounds.
According to a recent report from Alvaro Colmenero, Makhachev will wait to see the outcome of Muhammad`s fight against Jack Della Maddalena in Montreal before deciding his next move.
This decision-making process, while allowing Makhachev to assess a potential welterweight move, likely rules out a fight at International Fight Week due to the limited preparation time it would afford him.
“Sources told me that Makhachev is set on waiting until May 10 to see what happens between Muhammad and Della Maddalena to decide on his next fight. His participation in International Fight Week is in jeopardy.”
Potential Main Events for UFC 317 at International Fight Week
Rumors suggest Alexandre Pantoja might face Kai Kara-France at UFC 317, but a flyweight title fight might not be a big enough headliner for the event.
International Fight Week typically features a major fight, and with the two most discussed fights in the UFC currently uncertain, there aren`t many obvious alternatives.
A logical next step would be to book Dricus du Plessis against Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight title, another highly anticipated matchup between prominent figures.
Otherwise, the UFC could find themselves in a situation similar to UFC 300, needing to quickly organize a main event, but without Alex Pereira available to step in this time.
Rupert Hartwell