Outside Source
Joe Rogan recently said Pereira vs. Jones is the biggest possible matchup in human history. However, Nurmagomedov disagrees. According to “The Eagle,” Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria is the biggest fight that could be made right now. While Nurmagomedov acknowledges Pereira vs. Jones as a huge matchup, he doesn’t think it beats Makhachev vs. Topuria.
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A Welterweight Blockbuster
“I think right now Islam vs. Topuria is gonna be the biggest fight, not Jones and Pereira. It’s still a big fight, but not on that level,” Nurmagomedov said on the “Weighing In” podcast.
While Jones was the heavyweight champ, he avoided fighting interim champ Tom Aspinall for over a year before retiring this past June. However, Jones returned to the drug testing pool just weeks later when President Donald Trump announced plans for a UFC event at the White House in June 2026. Meanwhile, Pereira reclaimed his light heavyweight title by making quick work of Magomed Ankalaev in their rematch at UFC 320 last month. “Poatan” subsequently called out Jones for a super fight at heavyweight.
On the other hand, former featherweight champ Topuria was chasing a lightweight title shot against the then-champ Makhachev. However, Makhachev (27-1) moved up to welterweight after his friend Belal Muhammad was dethroned by Jack Della Maddalena (18-2) this past May. Makhachev is scheduled to challenge Maddalena for the title in the main event at UFC 322 this weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York. Topuria has teased a move up to welterweight to challenge Makhachev if he wins the title.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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