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Topuria may have given a big clue through a post on X, where he stated “the camp has begun.” Given that he said he wasn’t going to be taking a non-title fight, many are interpreting those words as proof he has been booked opposite Makhachev for UFC 317. Granted, nothing has been confirmed and Makhachev’s camp has said nothing, so it’s all hearsay at this point, but Topuria isn’t one to come up empty-handed with his talk. It’s plausible he has been talked into a sweetheart deal for a different fight, but that doesn’t appear to be Topuria’s style.
As much as I respect Nurmagomedov and believe he has sway, I don’t think his pull is as strong as it was when he was an active fighter. He declared Arman Tsarukyan to be more deserving and that Topuria needed to win a fight in his new division before being granted a title shot. His reasoning is sound. Makhachev already turned away a fighter from the featherweight division with a single UFC win at 155 pounds—twice. Alexander Volkanovski also had four featherweight title defenses under his belt compared to just one for Topuria. Nurmagomedov makes a good argument, but the UFC is a business first and a sport second. Those who run the company want to make money, so Nurmagomedov’s reasoning may not matter.
If we’re going off who has more marketability, Topuria is the easy choice. He has a history of violent finishes—the last two coming against Volkanovski and Max Holloway—and maintains an undefeated record, all while being the primary player in opening up the Spanish market. Plus, he has proven superior to Tsarukyan in capturing the attention of the MMA world. Tsarukyan has upped his aesthetics, securing four finishes in his last six wins after his first three UFC wins went to decision, but that isn’t enough to catch Topuria in terms of marketability. Tsarukyan has made a successful effort to raise his profile, but he’s still lacking the it factor Topuria carries with him.
Of course, who it should be from a business perspective is different from who is more deserving. That’s something that’s far more debatable. Some would argue an undefeated former featherweight champion who relinquished his belt so he could move up in weight is already deserving enough. However, in Tsarukyan’s case, he had already earned a shot at the title and was less than 48 hours away from fighting Makhachev earlier this year before a late injury forced him out. Despite Tsarukyan’s having earned the shot, UFC CEO Dana White has declared he needs to work his way back, likely due to the questionable nature of his injury.
READ HERE
Opinion: No Bad Options
Whether it chooses Arman Tsarukyan or Ilia Topuria, the Ultimate Fighting Championship cannot go wrong with Islam Makhachev’s next title challenger at 155 pounds, writes Dayne Fox.
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