Topuria’s Targeted Opponent After Gaethje White House Fight

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria (17-0) wants to face welterweight champion Islam Makhachev provided he beats Justin Gaethje on June 14 at the White House event in his next fight. 

If Topuria beats Justin, he wants to pursue a feat never before accomplished in the UFC: holding titles in three different weight classes. Topuria claimed the featherweight belt by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and successfully defended it against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024.

After vacating the 145-pound strap to move up, he captured the vacant lightweight title by stopping Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025. His sights are now set on Makhachev, who became a two-division champion himself after beating Jack Della Maddalena for the 170-pound belt in November 2025. Topuria has said he will submit Islam and beat him at his own game. 

“My goal as a sportsman is always to achieve great things in the sport,” he said. “So what bigger [thing] can you achieve as a sportsman to collect the third belt? So I would love to defend my belt against Justin and then had the have the opportunity to move up in the welterweight division and get my third belt. That will be my perfect scenario, but who knows? When I get the opportunity to fight with with someone, I always think about what can I do to really shock the world? So with Islam, to shock the world, I have to submit him. So this is what I think is gonna happen. I’m gonna take him down, and I’m gonna submit him,” Topuria said