![Laura Sanko (middle) drops hints about the potential fight between Islam Makhachev (left) and Ilia Topuria (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/7a5e6-17463675302938-1920.jpg)
![Laura Sanko (middle) drops hints about the potential fight between Islam Makhachev (left) and Ilia Topuria (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Laura Sanko recently provided an interesting take on UFC's stance on the possible bout between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. According to the UFC color commentator, the promotion is going to push to make this matchup happen.
A few weeks back, 'La Leyenda' confirmed his jump up to the UFC lightweight division in his quest to create a legacy there. He is at present looking for a bout against Makhachev, the 155-pound champion. However, to date, there have been no confirmations from UFC on the speculated fight.
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, while discussing Makhachev's next potential opponent, Sanko said:
"I think that the UFC really wants Islam [Makhachev] vs. [Ilia] Topuria, and I think they will do whatever it takes to make that fight happen financially."
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Check out Laura Sanko's comments below (28:51):
Dan Hooker weighs in on Islam Makhachev's next fight scenario
Islam Makhachev is currently on a four-fight winning streak in title defenses. As a result, he is interested in moving up to the UFC welterweight division, with the potential to fight for the title immediately in the 170-pound weight class.
This upcoming weekend, Belal Muhammad is scheduled to defend his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. In light of this, UFC lightweight star Dan Hooker believes that Makhachev's next fight will depend on the outcome of the welterweight title fight at UFC 315.
While speaking in an interview on Submission Radio, Hooker expressed his thoughts by saying:
"If 'JDM' wins, 100 percent Islam [Makhachev] will go up and fight for the welterweight title. That's why they're all waiting on [UFC 315] before anything gets announced with Islam or Ilia or any of that. Like, it's all up in the air.
He added:
"If 'JDM' wins, 100 percent Islam goes up. And then we'll probably see [Oliveira] and Topuria fighting for the lightweight belt. If he stays, if Belal wins, then Islam will fight Ilia for the belt."
Check out Dan Hooker's comments on Islam Makhachev below (29:00):
