Overview

• Ilia Topuria, having vacated his featherweight title, remains in contention for an immediate lightweight title shot after significant victories over top featherweight fighters.
• Islam Makhachev, the reigning lightweight champion, is considering a move to welterweight but is delaying due to his close relationship with current welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
• Khabib Nurmagomedov emphasized that fighters moving up in weight, like Topuria, should prove themselves against established competitors before earning title shots in new divisions.
• Dustin Poirier argued that Makhachev should vacate his lightweight title if he moves to welterweight, mirroring the precedent set for Topuria's transition to lightweight.
• The UFC's lightweight division remains in flux, with debates over hierarchy, title eligibility, and the influence of personal relationships shaping the future of key matchups.