UFC analyst predicts potential Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev clash: "He going to get knocked out"

A veteran UFC analyst believes that if Ilia Topuria ever locks horns with Islam Makhachev, it won’t go the distance.

Topuria’s stocks continue to rise after a thunderous knockout win against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. That win helped him achieve two-division championship status, and he’s already hunting for a third title. Topuria has made it clear in the past that fighting Makhachev is his ultimate goal.

Makhachev, meanwhile, is set to take on Jack Della Maddalena next after he vacated the lightweight throne. UFC analyst Din Thomas previewed a potential clash between Topuria and Makhachev in a recent conversation with Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel.

Thomas pointed out that Makhachev struggled against Alexander Volkanovski in their first fight and claimed that he might get knocked out in a fight against Topuria:

"I think he beats Islam. I always thought he would beat Islam. Here's why. Because Islam, I think Islam had struggled with the Volkanovski fight. The very first Volkanovski fight, he struggled with getting underneath Alexander Volkanovski. Islam struggled to get underneath him to be able to take him down."

Thomas added:

"He's gonna have a hard time getting underneath Topuria. He's gonna have a hard time getting underneath Topuria to take him down. If you don't take him down, he's getting knocked out."

Check out Din Thomas' comments below (3:15):

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Ilia Topuria eyes Islam Makhachev clash after UFC 317 knockout win

Ilia Topuria claimed the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317 with a brutal knockout win against Charles Oliveira. With this victory, he became the first undefeated fighter to achieve two-division championship status.

However, his original target was to fight Islam Makhachev. The Dagestani fighter vacated the belt and moved up to welterweight, setting up a title fight with Jack Della Maddalena. Topuria sees that move as a retreat and believes Makhachev avoided the risk of facing him.

Speaking in a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Topuria said:

"My real goal always was Islam, but since he decided to run away, it has to be Charles... Listen, I think that [Makhachev] took a great decision. If the UFC would offer him to fight against Justin Gaethje or another contender in the division, I think that he would stay at 155."

He added:

"But with me coming up, he was, like, ‘I don’t have to take this risk. I’m going to move up to 170, I’m going to try to get another belt,' and that’s all because he knows that I’m dangerous. He knows that I’m going to put him to sleep. The only reason they don’t want me to fight against him is because they know that I’m going to beat him.”

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below: