Islam Makhachev’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, is no longer brushing off the possibility of a massive showdown with Ilia Topuria. The superfight conversation has gained serious traction since Topuria emerged as one of the UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
Topuria is riding a wave of dominance after knocking out Max Holloway in a featherweight title defense and following it up by destroying Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt at UFC 317. The lightweight title became available after Makhachev shocked fans by vacating the division to pursue welterweight gold. That decision came after Belal Muhammad’s loss to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, a loss that seemingly lit a fire under Makhachev’s ambition.
At first, Makhachev’s team didn’t view Topuria as a legitimate threat, with Mendez previously downplaying the Spaniard’s chances of securing a fight with the former champ. However, Topuria’s successful past wins have led Mendez to now see the clash as not just inevitable, but necessary.
“It’s the number one fight,” Javier Mendez told MMA Junkie. “The other one was Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall, but right now, if Islam wins, the fight to make is Topuria vs. Islam.”
Mendez made it clear that Topuria’s style, strength, and ability to draw attention has changed the narrative. The fight no longer feels like hype, it feels real.
“He’s doing a good job at getting people to want to watch the fight. The more Ilia does, the more people want to see this fight,” Mendez said. “I like everything he’s doing as a fighter. He’s very strong and doesn’t care about the weight.”
The head coach at American Kickboxing Academy emphasized that Makhachev’s current priority remains the welterweight belt. Talks of a Topuria clash hinge on whether Islam can get past Della Maddalena, with a rumored date for the title bout pointing to November at Madison Square Garden.
“The first thing Islam wanted was a legacy fight – he wanted the welterweight title,” Mendez said. “Now if we win the welterweight title, we can go down or he can come up. That’s what I say, but if the UFC doesn’t like it, it’s not happening. But first we need to win.”
While Makhachev sharpens his focus on the 170-pound title, Topuria is surrounded by a pool of contenders looking for a shot at his newly acquired lightweight crown. Arman Tsarukyan, Justin Gaethje, and Paddy Pimblett are all options. A rematch with Holloway remains sidelined as “Blessed” recovers from an injury suffered in his UFC 318 war with Dustin Poirier.
There is yet to be any news, but with Javier Mendez no longer dismissing the matchup and Topuria continuing to elevate his profile, the stage is quietly being set for one of the biggest fights the UFC could put together in 2026.
