A massive UFC booking involving Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria unraveled before it ever became official, according to Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Speaking this week about the failed negotiations, Abdelaziz said he initially received a call about the fight in the middle of the day, while Makhachev was asleep, only to be told shortly afterward that the matchup was off.
That kind of near-miss matters, because Makhachev vs. Topuria is one of the most intriguing pound-for-pound fights the UFC can make right now. Makhachev has built his reputation on control, composure, and elite grappling, while Topuria has emerged as one of the promotion’s most dangerous finishers and a major attraction with American fans after his rise through the featherweight ranks.
Abdelaziz told TMZ that the fight was scrapped before he even had the chance to speak with Makhachev directly. He added that there are plenty of ways for a fight to fall apart during negotiations, including pricing it out, saying, “I know many ways to kill a fight. I can say, ‘I’ll fight Francis Ngannou, give me $50 million.’ Though I’m not going to blame anyone for wanting money.”
If the UFC can’t put this matchup back together, the ripple effect could hit multiple divisions. A Makhachev-Topuria fight would have carried obvious title implications and likely reshaped the championship picture around two elite stars. If Makhachev got through a threat like Topuria, it would add another marquee name to his résumé. If Topuria won, it would instantly change the conversation around the sport’s pound-for-pound hierarchy.
From a U.S. media perspective, this is exactly the kind of crossover championship fight fans have been pushing for: a proven dominant champion against a surging knockout threat with real momentum. For now, though, the matchup remains a what-if, and the next move from the UFC will determine whether this fight is merely delayed or gone for good.