Dana White faces a familiar scenario as UFC star Ilia Topuria sets his sights on boxing. The situation brings back memories of Conor McGregor's move to the ring in 2017.
Topuria, nicknamed 'El Matador', has quickly become one of the UFC's biggest stars. He's currently undefeated and holds titles in two weight classes, a feat that's put him at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
But Topuria wants more. He's eyeing a boxing match with Terrence 'Bud' Crawford, who recently beat Canelo Alvarez and sits atop boxing's pound-for-pound list. Topuria believes he can knock Crawford out, but Crawford has brushed off the challenge, claiming he doesn't know who Topuria is.
White hopes Topuria will stick with MMA for now. But Topuria feels confident he can change White's mind.
"Will Dana support me to box? It's something I want to do and I don't think he'll tell me he doesn't want to help me fulfill my dream. I'll have his support, no doubt about it. It's hard to convince him, but I'm sure it will work out."
Topuria's goals go beyond MMA. He wants to become a triple champion in the UFC and then take on new challenges to stay motivated and make history.
But there are concerns. MMA fighters often struggle when they switch to boxing. On the flip side, a move to boxing could make Topuria an even bigger star.
White will likely remember what happened with McGregor. In 2017, McGregor was the first UFC fighter to hold titles in two weight classes at the same time. He then boxed Floyd Mayweather in one of the biggest fights ever.
The fight made McGregor more famous and earned him a lot of money. But it also marked a turning point in his career. He lost motivation afterward and struggled when he returned to MMA.
McGregor came back to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in the biggest MMA fight ever, but lost easily. He's only fought three times since then, winning once and losing twice. His last fight was in 2021 when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier. He hasn't fought in over four years.
There's talk of McGregor coming back in 2026 for a UFC event at the White House. But his case serves as a warning for fighters like Topuria.
Topuria has said he wants to retire young, which might push him to try boxing sooner rather than later. McGregor was 29 when he boxed Mayweather.
White will likely ask Topuria to be patient. He'll want to avoid the mistakes of the past and keep his new star focused on MMA for now.
