UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev shared his prediction for the upcoming main event of the UFC White House card.
UFC Freedom 250 takes place on June 14 on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C. The main event sees UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria taking on interim champion Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout.
In an interview with the UFC ahead of their mega event at the White House, Makhachev was asked who he thinks will win the UFC White House main event. Here’s what he said.
“The main event of the White House, I think — of course I’m not counting Gaethje out, he’s an old warhorse with a lot of experience — but Topuria is younger. It will be a great fight for the fans. I believe this fight definitely won’t go the distance, and I’m leaning toward Topuria winning,” Makhachev said.
The interviewer then asked Makhachev if he is interested in fighting Topuria in a true UFC superfight, and here’s how he responded to that question when asked.
“There’s a lot of talk, a lot of discussion about this fight, but Topuria himself and his team know why the Topuria vs. Makhachev fight won’t happen at the White House,” he said.
🇺🇸🏆 Islam Makhachev gives his prediction for Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje title fight.
👀 He also commented on him vs. Topuria:
“There was a lot of discussion about this fight. Topuria himself and his team know why the fight Topuria vs. Makhachev won’t happen at the White
As for Makhachev, he has not fought since he defeated Jack Della Maddalena last November to claim the UFC welterweight title.
There are heavy rumors that the Russian will return this summer at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, with rumblings that top contender Ian Machado Garry will be his opponent. Nothing has been confirmed about that potential fight, however, so while it makes sense to happen, there is still a chance that Makhachev fights someone else instead.
If that’s the case, then Carlos Prates may sneak past Machado Garry and steal the welterweight title shot after he destroyed Della Maddalena at UFC Perth earlier this month. It was an absolutely incredible performance by Prates that night, the type that could lead to him bumping past the rest of the welterweight contenders and stealing the title shot at 170 lbs. But we’ll see what the UFC does.
By merit, Machado Garry makes sense as the next title challenger, especially since he beat Prates just last year at UFC Kansas City. But the UFC is in the business of making the biggest fights possible for the fans, and many fans would prefer to see Prates fight Makhachev for the belt, so don’t be surprised if they go that route.
Regardless, Makhachev should be making his first welterweight title defense this summer, and it will be great to see him back inside the Octagon against whoever he faces. He is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, so anytime we get to see him perform at his craft, it’s a true treat.
Should Topuria defeat Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, and should Makhachev beat whoever he faces in his upcoming welterweight title defense, don’t be surprised if the UFC looks to book that superfight either sometime later this year or next year, as it’s the fight the fans want to see.
Adam Martin Adam Martin is a sports journalist with over 15 years of experience. He has a speciality in MMA, while also covering the Big 4 Sports. Adam is currently a contributor to Heavy.com, with previous experience working for The Toronto Star, Sportsnet, theScore, Bookies, BJPenn.com, and MMAOddsbreaker.com. More about Adam Martin
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