Joe Rogan has one name who he thinks Ilia Topuria should be matched with following UFC 317.
Topuria went one-on-one with Charles Oliveira in the main event of Saturday’s PPV card. The two collided for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship. The fight hit the mat briefly before Oliveira was stood back up. Once the action resumed on the feet, Topuria clocked Oliveira with a right hook, followed by a left for the knockout victory.
“El Matador” has now captured gold in a second weight class, and Rogan feels there’s one opponent for Topuria that stands above other options.
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Rogan Says Topuria vs. Makhachev Needs to Happen
During the UFC 317 broadcast, Joe Rogan weighed in on what should be next for Ilia Topuria. In Rogan’s mind, the answer is Islam Makhachev (via MMAJunkie).
“I think Islam is the fight,” Rogan said of what should be next for Topuria during the UFC 317 broadcast. “If I’m the matchmaker, I’m calling Islam. I’m like, ‘Look: Jack Della, that’s a lot of fun. That’s fun and everything. But come on.’ Maybe when they call him up and they say, ‘Is there a number? Is there a number we can do?’”
Makhachev is poised to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC Welterweight Championship at a date to be determined. Topuria has claimed that the UFC brass asked him not to mention the possibility of chasing Makhachev to 170 pounds.
There appears to be no indication that Topuria vs. Makhachev will happen anytime soon. During the UFC 317 broadcast, Paddy Pimblett, Justin Gaethje, and Arman Tsarukyan were shown prominently as potential contenders.
Pimblett even had a staredown with Topuria inside the Octagon, but UFC CEO Dana White insists that wasn’t part of the plan and he was none too pleased about the situation.
