"Incredible" solution for the Islam Makhachev-Ilia Topuria situation proposed by UFC Hall of Famer: "What at matchup that would be"
The UFC lightweight title picture has seen uncertainty in recent times. Former 145-pound champion Ilia Topuria has emerged as one of the most intriguing frontrunners for the title, but champion Islam Makhachev is reportedly aiming for the welterweight title. As a result, the next challenger for Makhachev has yet to be announced.
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, former UFC champion and analyst Michael Bisping proposed a potential matchup to set up Makhachev vs. Topuria. He noted that Paddy Pimblett and Topuria have a longstanding rivalry and suggested:
"If Ilia has to fight one more time, then, maybe, it's against Paddy Pimblett. Of course, Paddy has a history with Ilia Topuria... [Paddy] is looking incredible. Ilia has just called him out on the Joe Rogan podcast. He said Ilia vs. Paddy at the Bernabeu Stadium in Spain, 80,000 people. That would be incredible, and what a matchup that would be."
Check out Michael Bisping's comments below (4:52):
Michael Bisping highlights problems with making Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett before the Islam Makhachev fight
In the aforementioned video, Michael Bisping expressed concerns that matching up Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett against each other could complicate future scenarios. As both fighters are popular stars, Bisping implied that the loser of their fight might be excluded from high-profile matchups involving Makhachev in the future.
Bisping then proposed an alternate solution, stating:
"I'm sure Topuria can get a win at 155 and then fight for the belt - Prove his legitimacy. And then, in the meantime, you have Paddy Pimblett fight somebody else, okay? Maybe a Charles Oliveira..." [5:50]
He added:
"Maybe Islam Makhachev fights Justin Gaethje... If we forget about meritocracy and think about exciting matchups, there is not a man alive that does not want to see Islam Makhachev vs. Justin Gaethje. We would always want to see that." [6:10]
While many have speculated about the possible fights involving Topuria and Makhachev, during his recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the Georgian-Spanish fighter claimed that Makhachev would not be able to avoid him and that they would fight next.