![UFC lightweight brawler shared thoughts on whether Islam Makhachev will fight Jack Della Maddalena or Ilia Topuria next [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/49a31-17461184938089-1920.jpg)
![UFC lightweight brawler shared thoughts on whether Islam Makhachev will fight Jack Della Maddalena or Ilia Topuria next [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](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)
A UFC lightweight brawler recently shared his thoughts on whether Islam Makhachev will be fighting Ilia Topuria or Jack Della Maddalena next. The Dagestani's next bout has been a hot topic of discussion among the MMA community as the promotion has yet to announce it.
Makhachev has been linked to a lightweight title fight against Topuria after the latter vacated his featherweight championship following back-to-back knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. A move up to 170 pounds has also been speculated, but it will depend on whether Della Maddalena dethrones the Dagestani's friend Belal Muhammad.
During his latest appearance on Submission Radio, top-ranked lightweight contender Dan Hooker made his feelings known on Makhachev's next bout.
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Hooker believes Della Maddalena is the top choice, which is why Makhachev is awaiting the result of next week's main event rather than committing to a title defense against Topuria:
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"If 'JDM' wins, 100 percent Islam 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. 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 regarding Islam Makhachev's next bout below (29:03):
Dan Hooker makes feelings known on Islam Makhachev and Belal Muhammad refusing to fight each other
Dan Hooker also weighed in on Islam Makhachev and Belal Muhammad refusing to fight each other in a champion vs. champion bout.
Makhachev has been open about holding off a move to welterweight for an attempt to become a two-division champion due to his friendship with Muhammad. During the aforementioned appearance, Hooker mentioned that he wouldn't share those same sentiments if he was awarded the same opportunity:
"I would fight anyone... For the title, I would fight anyone." [29:51]
Check out a clip of Islam Makhachev disclosing why he hasn't moved up to welterweight below:
