Islam Makhachev last fought Renato Moicano in what was one of the easiest fights of his career. However, once that was done, speculations about who Makhachev will face next began to emerge. Amidst a plethora of names, Makhachev was rumored to fight the former UFC featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria. However, with names like Charles Oliveira and even Justin Gaethje coming up, the speculations never quite reached a conclusion. But recent news seems to have definite information about Makhachev’s next move.
In a recent X post, a user going by the name ‘@realkevink,’ posted a clip of a conversation involving Djibril Dulatov. During the conversation, Dulatov could be seen speaking about when he is going to fight next. While the German fighter revealed that he would feature during the International Fight Week in Las Vegas, he also dropped a bombshell.
🚨BIG NEWS🚨
— Kevin (@realkevink) April 6, 2025
Djibril Dulatov Says Islam Dulatov will be Fighting on the Same card as Islam Makhachev in June in Las Vegas 😳
In Conversation they Mention Islams opponent to be a champion in another category (weight class) and he was a title holder
Topuria vs Makhachev IFW 🧐 pic.twitter.com/1hR53rkCP3
Dulatov mentioned that fighting on the same card was Islam Makhachev. And his potential opponent? Well, it is none other than someone who was a champion in a different division. Meanwhile, as the hint points towards Ilia Topuria, the Spaniard recently took a dig stating that both Makhachev and Charles Oliveira fear him. Daniel Cormier however, was not okay with the statement.
Daniel Cormier Debunks ‘Scared’ Allegations From Ilia Topuria
With the constant back and forth going on, Ilia Topuria has recently come to a conclusion. Perhaps, both Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira are too scared to fight him! And this is something that the former champ champ, Daniel Cormier is not okay with.
“Ilia Topuria might strike some fear in most, or some, Islam’s not afraid of him. And I’ll be honest with you: Neither is Justin Gaethje. Neither is Charles Oliveira. Neither is Dustin Poirier, or Michael Chandler. Those guys aren’t afraid of each other,” DC stated on his YouTube channel.
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Thus, with still significant confusion remaining regarding the lightweight championship scene, it remains to be seen how things pan out.
Also Read: UFC Veteran Believes Conor McGregor’s Mindset Could Influence Islam Makhachev’s Defeat
