Ian Garry claims Islam Makhachev declined a formal offer to fight him in May at UFC 328. Garry also says UFC explored staging a Makhachev vs. Topuria bout at the White House, but that Makhachev turned that down as well.
According to Ian Garry, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has turned down not one but two significant fight opportunities, including a formal offer to face Garry himself and a proposed matchup against Ilia Topuria at the White House.
Garry claims he was offered a fight with Makhachev in May at UFC 328, and that the champion declined. He also says the UFC explored staging a Makhachev versus Topuria event at the White House, only for Makhachev to pass on that as well. Neither claim has been officially confirmed, and the reports should be treated as unverified for now.
Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1-0 record and currently reigns as welterweight champion while carrying the number-one pound-for-pound ranking. The Russian southpaw, who trains out of Eagles MMA, is a technically complete fighter who averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at a 58 percent accuracy rate, one of the highest figures in the sport.
Topuria, the Spaniard nicknamed El Matador, enters the picture as the number-one pound-for-pound fighter and sits ranked second in the lightweight division with a 17-1-0 record. The 29-year-old out of Climent Club is one of the most active strikers in the game, averaging 4.81 significant strikes per minute, and has shown well-rounded skills with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes as well.
Why it matters
- A Makhachev vs. Topuria fight would pit the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world against each other, with massive divisional and historical stakes.
- Topuria's ranking at lightweight and Makhachev's championship status would make any meeting a title unification or cross-division superfight scenario.
- If Garry's account is accurate, Makhachev's reluctance to engage either opponent raises questions about the direction of his championship reign.
