TLDR
- Islam Makhachev has ruled out fighting Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House event in June
- UFC is not interested in making the superfight happen, and Topuria already has an opponent lined up
- Topuria is expected to face Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout
- Makhachev has multiple welterweight challengers including Kamaru Usman, Michael Morales, and Ian Garry
- Makhachev may still compete at UFC White House but against a welterweight contender instead
Sources: Bloody Elbow | MMA Mania | MMA Fighting
UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has shut down speculation about a potential superfight against lightweight champion Ilia Topuria at the upcoming UFC White House event in June. The matchup between two pound-for-pound greats will not happen at the historic event, according to the champion.
“Yes, I think it definitely won’t happen at the White House, because he already has an opponent, and the UFC is not interested in this,” Makhachev told Ushatayka in a recent interview.
The fight between Makhachev and Topuria has generated buzz among MMA fans for over a year. Both fighters currently hold UFC titles in different weight classes, making the potential matchup a true superfight.
Makhachev won the welterweight championship at UFC 322 in November 2025 with a lopsided decision victory over Jack Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden. He previously held the lightweight title before moving up to 170 pounds to chase a second championship.
Islam Makhachev has announced that a super-fight between him and Ilia Topuria ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ be happening at the UFCโs White House event ๐ณ๐๏ธ
The welterweight champion said this wonโt happen as Topuria already has multiple opponents to fight first, and the UFC isnโt interestedโฆ pic.twitter.com/suevDJZdAr
— Scanlon MMA (@ScanlonMMA) February 18, 2026
Topuria Has Other Plans
Topuria captured the vacant lightweight championship after Makhachev moved up in weight. The Georgian-Spanish fighter is now expected to unify the lightweight titles in a bout against Justin Gaethje.
The UFC has shown little interest in making the superfight happen at this time. Makhachev confirmed that the promotion has other plans for Topuria, preventing the matchup from taking place in June.
Makhachev’s dominance in the sport has been undeniable. He carries a 28-1 record and has won 16 consecutive fights dating back to 2015.
He successfully defended the lightweight championship four times, setting a promotional record, before moving up to welterweight. Many consider him the top pound-for-pound fighter in all of MMA.
Multiple Challengers Waiting
Makhachev faces no shortage of potential opponents at welterweight. Former champion Kamaru Usman has been campaigning for a fight with Makhachev, and the two fighters share the same management team.
Undefeated prospect Michael Morales has also thrown his name into the mix. “And my eyes on gold,” Morales wrote on Instagram, calling out Makhachev directly.
Top contender Ian Machado Garry continues to state his case on social media for a title shot. The undefeated fighter remains in the conversation for Makhachev’s next defense.
Makhachev has not completely ruled out fighting at the UFC White House event. He indicated he is still discussing potential dates for his next fight with the promotion.
“We’re still discussing an approximate date for my fight,” Makhachev said. “Even if it’s not at the White House, it’ll be around that time.”
The champion added that he is not ruling out the White House option entirely. “I’m not ruling out the White House option either. As of today, that’s the most likely scenario,” he explained.
If Makhachev does compete at UFC White House in June, his opponent will likely come from the list of welterweight contenders rather than a superfight with Topuria. The champion indicated he would be open to serving in the co-main event slot if needed for the historic card.
