UFC bigwig Dana White was publicly pitched a “crazy” champion-versus-champion fight by his good friend Joe Rogan before making a huge announcement.
MMA‘s premier promotion has only staged seven champ-vs-champ fights in its near 32-year-long history.
GETTYJoe Rogan has publicly pitched a ‘crazy’ UFC fight to his good pal Dana White[/caption]
GETTYRogan wants to see dominant lightweight champion Islam Makhachev to be one-half of the bout[/caption]
GETTYAnd he wants to see him throw down with former featherweight king Ilia Topuria[/caption]
The most recent saw dominant lightweight king Islam Makhachev brutally knock out his former featherweight counterpart Alexander Volkanovski in October 2023.
Makhachev has been linked with a move up in weight to challenge for welterweight gold.
But veteran UFC commentator Rogan wants to see the Dagestani defend his belt against current 145lbs champion Ilia Topuria next.
During a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, he said: “As crazy as it sounds, I hope Ilia goes up to 155. I really do.
“Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes at 145, Ilia goes up to 155. I don’t care if he only defended the title one time or didn’t.
“Who cares? Let’s go. Let’s f****ing go.”
Many, including former welterweight title holder Matt Serra, want to see Topuria bank a few more title defences before moving up in weight.
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GETTYIlia Topuria brutally knocked out Max Holloway last October to retain featherweight gold[/caption]
But Rogan dismissed the notion put forward by his good friend, saying: “Yeah, it’d be nice.
“But also who cares? Let’s go. Let’s f***ing go.”
“If you want to make that big fight in July, is it the Volkanovski rematch?
“I don’t know. I think people want to see Volkanovski win one.”
Georgian-born Spaniard Topuria became the king of the featherweights last February with a sensational second-round KO of Volkanovski at UFC 298.
He racked up his first title defence in equally as devastating fashion last October, knocking out former 145lbs king Max Holloway at UFC 308.
That stunning win proved to be Topuria’s last in the weight class as White announced this week he’ll be moving up to lightweight.
And fans are convinced he’ll be facing Makhachev, who became 155lbs champion in October 2022 with a second-round submission of then-titleholder Charles Oliveira, next.
Makhachev, the protege of the retired Khabib Nurmagomedov, hasn’t shown any sign of relinquishing the throne any time soon, racking up four straight title defences.
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