UFC President Dana White has less than eight months to set a card for the planned MMA event at the White House next June. Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria are now lobbying to headline the card.
Makhachev (27-1), a former lightweight champion who has since bumped up to welterweight, told ESPN that he’d welcome a bout against the undefeated Topuria.
Topuria became the lightweight champion in June, knocking out Charles Oliveira after Makhachev vacated the belt.
Makhachev, who is scheduled to fight Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight championship at Madison Square Garden next month, has been closely monitoring his former division.
“I saw the [Oliveira] fight; he’s good. … ” Makhachev told ESPN. “He wants to fight at the White House, and I also want to be there. I know the UFC wants to do some big fight in the White House. Which fight is going to be bigger than this?”
Topuria had already expressed interest in fighting Makhachev at a press conference in Georgia — the Eurasian nation, not the American state — earlier this month.
“I think it would be one of the biggest fights in UFC history: no one has ever fought for a third title, and Islam has dominantly finished everything he needed to do in his division and then changed weight classes,” Topuria said, according to multiple reports. “I think it’s a fight of a giant magnitude, which suits us all, as well as the UFC.”
Mr. White has not announced any fights for the June 14 event at the White House. He has said that the organizers would not confirm any bouts until early next year.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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