What makes a UFC pay-per-view truly memorable? It’s a mix of high-profile title fights with intense rivalries, millions of viewers tuning in, and, most importantly, thrilling action that leaves fans on the edge of their seats. Add to that skyrocketing revenue and pay-per-view buys, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a blockbuster UFC event. Take iconic clashes like Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov or McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier as prime examples.

Now, with Ilia Topuria announcing his move to 155lbs and willingly vacating his featherweight title, another potential mega-fight is brewing—a showdown with Islam Makhachev. According to UFC veteran Michael Bisping, this could be the matchup that draws major attention. On the topic, Bisping shared his thoughts on Topuria’s future in the shark-infested waters of the lightweight division.

“Islam, Arman, Charles, Justin, any single one of them, and it might be one of them but it’s gonna be if you ask me to bet? I think Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria. Because any of those guys, Arman, Charles, Justin, sure, they’d all be phenomenal fights, and they’d all have a realistic chance of potentially beating Ilia Topuria. Granted Ilia is special, but I am not saying that he is not. But if he lost to them there is a massive market opportunity lost there,” said Bisping.

The former middleweight champion continued, “There’s something there and yeah if he loses to Gaethje then 2, 3 fights later get his shot, it’s not quite the same sell.”

Not only did ‘The Count’ highlight the massive market potential of a Topuria vs. Makhachev fight, but he also stressed the importance of timing. With public excitement surrounding Topuria at its peak, now is the ideal moment to capitalize on that momentum. If ‘El Matador’ doesn’t ride this wave and instead takes another fight before challenging Makhachev, it could be risky. A loss in that interim fight could diminish the hype and lower the PPV selling potential. So, what did Dana White decide?

Dana White weighs in on the possibility of Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria 

Islam Makhachev currently reigns supreme over the UFC’s lightweight division, but his next title challenger remains uncertain. Several contenders have staked their claim, each with a compelling case. Justin Gaethje bolstered his title aspirations with a grueling victory over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira is still determined to redeem himself after falling short in the past at UFC 280. Moreover, a much-deserving rematch is already in the air.

Arman Tsarukyan would look to make his way back to the title after dropping out of the UFC 311 showdown against the Dagestani. Lastly, Ilia Topuria has entered the mix, having relinquished his featherweight belt to pursue a new challenge at 155 pounds. But who does Dana White see as the ideal opponent for Makhachev? During the UFC 313 post-event press conference, White shed light on the decision-making process for selecting title challengers.

The UFC CEO explained, “Well, you guys know there’s a lot of different factors that play out when we start talking about who’s fighting next. Injuries, timing of when they want to fight, when they don’t want to fight, geographically where we end up. So there’s a lot of different things that determine whether a guy fights for the title and when.”

On top of that, Gaethje has entered the title race once again, and this time, the odds might be in his favor. Following his victory at UFC 313, ‘The Highlight’ confidently stated on X: “I won 3 out of my last 4, only losing in an exhibition fight. I have to fight for the belt. @danawhite I am ready.” With so many contenders in the mix, the question remains: Who will Dana White choose to challenge Makhachev next?