Joe Rogan has made his stance clear on Ilia Topuria’s next move, and if it were up to him, the UFC featherweight champion would not stay at 145 pounds for long. On a recent edition of The Joe Rogan Experience, the long-time UFC commentator recommended a bold matchmaking strategy: Topuria should immediately go up to lightweight and fight Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound title.

At the same time, the UFC commentator proposed a bout between former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and rising star Diego Lopes. “As crazy as it sounds, I hope Ilia goes up to 55. I really do. Volkanovski-Diego Lopes (at) 45, Ilia goes up to 55. I don’t care if he only defended the one time or didn’t. Who cares? Let’s go. Let’s f—— go” It’s not the first time Topuria’s name has come up in a conversation about standing as an adversary for Islam Makhachev. Even before knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308, buzz about him challenging for the lightweight title was rife.

However, with Arman Tsarukyan’s unexpected withdrawal from his UFC 311 fight against Islam Makhachev, the lightweight division’s future hangs in uncertainty. With Dana White in no mood to reinstall Tsarukyan as the challenger for the belt, a spot has opened up. Ilia Topuria stepping in as a new challenge for Islam Makhachev has gained traction although the Dagestani champion hasn’t been enthusiastic about it.

But despite his inhibitions, Islam Makhachev believes it should be an easy fight for him. Speaking to Adin Ross from Kick.com, the reigning lightweight champion opened up on the idea of going one-on-one against ‘El Matador.’ The Russian stated that while he is open to facing Topuria, he wishes to defeat every top guy in his division first.

He said, “I’m not saying no. If I clean my division, if people want, if Dana want, why not? I can do this, easy.” However, it is worth noting that there is another name in the mix now, as Beneil Dariush proposed a unique matchup for Topuria.

Beneil Dariush suggests Ilia Topuria fight Arman Tsarukyan

A whole different scenario has emerged. Beneil Dariush, another top UFC lightweight, has advised that Ilia Topuria face Arman Tsarukyan instead of Islam Makhachev. Dariush told The Schmo, “Maybe it’s Topuria [against Arman Tsarukyan]. If Ilia is coming up, that might be the fight they put together. If Ilia appears, they may stage a fight.” Given that both men are skilled grapplers and strikers, this potential match-up makes sense.

Tsarukyan’s relentless wrestling pressure has scared many elite fighters, whilst Ilia Topuria‘s combination of knockout power and ground game has already seen him upset featherweight legends like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. The UFC has yet to confirm Topuria’s next step, but the featherweight champion is definitely in high demand across many weight classes. It remains to be seen whether he can follow Joe Rogan‘s suggestion and immediately fight Makhachev for the title or if he first faces Tsarukyan.

In any case, both the featherweight and lightweight divisions are on high alert, knowing that Ilia Topuria’s upcoming bout has the potential to change the landscape of both weight classes at once. What do you think? Who do you think ‘El Matador’ should choose as his next opponent? Let us know in the comments.