Makhachev reacts to losing top P4P spot to Topuria: ‘It’s marketing’

Islam Makhachev isn’t losing any sleep over the loss of his No. 1 pound for pound ranking spot to Ilia Topuria.

In the past, other fighters haven’t handled things as well. Jon Jones had a tantrum on Twitter back in 2020 when Khabib Nurmagomedov took his P4P top spot. But Makhachev thinks Topuria taking the top of the rankings makes sense … or at least dollars and cents.

“It’s marketing,” the former lightweight champion said cageside from the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi over the weekend. “They’re doing it on purpose to hype up [a Topuria vs. Makhachev] fight. People are already interested in it. They are doing the right thing, we will fight for the No. 1 spot in the rankings.”

People were definitely interested when it looked like Topuria would be moving up to lightweight to face Makhachev. Ilia and Islam are two of the best fighters in the sport today, and it’s become frustratingly rare for fights between the best to fall into place. This time was another case of close but no cigar: just as Topuria relinquished his title to move up to lightweight, Makhachev relinquished his title to move up to welterweight.

Now Makhachev is expected to fight 170 pound champion Jack Della Maddalena sometime near the end of the year (current reports have them penciled in for UFC 322 in November at Madison Square Garden). Topuria won the vacant lightweight title against Charles Oliveira, and is looking fight Paddy Pimblett next.

With Islam, the fight with Topuria remains whether he wins or loses against Jack Della Maddalena. It’s obviously a much bigger fight should he take the welterweight title. Then it’s not just really champion vs. champion, it’s two division champions facing off. Truly the best of the best. And suddenly pound-for-pound is no longer as hypothetical — we’ll get an answer to who’s the absolute best in the UFC.

If — and this is a very big if — it all comes together in the end as Makhachev hopes.