Ilia Topuria's vacant lightweight profit on UFC 317 led to a unique reaction from Islam Makhachev.
The return of UFC Superstar Ilia Topuria to the lightweight division could not have gone much better if he Charles Oliveira Cold in their UFC 317 Vacant Title Showdown.
Topuria became the newest world champion of the UFC by winning the vacancy in the UFC 317 Main Event on Saturday in Las Vegas. After a competitive first few minutes of the fight, Topuria landed a powerful right hand on the jaw of Oliveira who caught up with the former title holder in collapse to the Canvas.
Topuria closed one of the most impressive three-fighter runs in the UFC history on UFC 317. Before he made the full-time switch to lightweight, Topuria deserved back-to-back title fight Knockouts about Alexander Volkanovski and BMF champion Max Holloway.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Islam Makhachev responds to Ilia Topuria who eliminates Charles Oliveira on UFC 317
While Topuria starts a new era in the lightweight division of the UFC, the shadow of Makhachacters continues to throw over the title photo. Makhachev decided to leave the UFC Lightweight Championship to challenge UFC Welterweight champion Jack della Maddalena later this year.
Before the UFC 317 Main Event flourished, it was thought that Makhachev would clash with Topuria for his next UFC light weight defending defense. But after Belal Muhammad lost the UFC Welterweight Championship on UFC 315, Makhachev opted for the title of 170 pounds and brought his dominant lightweight title to a screaming halt.
Makhachev and Topuria have been hurling online for months, where Makhacheve rejects the performance of Topuria and begs the former Federweight Champion to prove itself as a top lightweight. Despite their poor blood, Makhachev shared a warm reaction to the knockout victory of Topuria, while nodded at the culture of the Georgian star.
In a recent post in Instagram story, Makhachev seemed to respond in a unique way to Topuria's victory.
“We celebrate,” Makhachev with an image of Khaachapuri, a traditional Georgian dish.
😁🇬🇪 Islam Makhachev is celebrating the victory of Ilia Topuria with a Georgian dish 'Khamhapuri'.
📸 @makhachevmma pic.twitter.com/0sahxn0r8i
– Home of Fight (@home_of_fight) 29 June 2025
At the moment Topuria has not responded to Makhachev's message. His victory over UFC 317 will make him a step closer to making Makhachev in the pound-for-pound ranks of the promotion.
In anticipation of UFC 317, Makhachev threw shadow in Topuria and Oliveira by trivializing the splendor behind the headliner of the International Fight Week. But after the performance of Topuria, the pre-Fight assessment of Makhacheve appears.
Makhachev has not fought anymore since he defended the UFC light weight against Renato Moicano on UFC 311 in January. He was supposed to make Arman Tsarukyan in the Main Event of UFC 311 before Tsarukyan himself during hours of cancellation due to a back injury.
Islam Makhachev does not exclude lightweight return after UFC 317 Knock -rock results
Despite his welterweight ambitions, Makhachev could possibly return to the lightweight division at a later date. If Topuria challenges the awards that Makhachev earned during its lightweight title line, it may be enough to lure the former title holder back to the 155LB division.
Makhachev has unveiled a relevant obstacle with which he is confronted while he continues to prepare his body for the movement of the good weight. In recent weeks he has difficulty building, so that some speculate or Makhachev will reverse the course.
But for now, Makhachev seems to be intended to pursue the UFC -Welterweight title and to deduce Maddalena later this year. A super fight with Topuria stays on the table for Makhachev while the pound-for-pound king of the UFC is moving forward.