Ilia Topuria is no stranger to big moments, but this one did not occur in a cage or on a poster. It arrived silently overnight, while the lightweight champion was not training or promoting. Fans awoke to a surprising shift in popularity, which lit up social media.

Makhachev supporters were perplexed, Topuria supporters were ecstatic, and everyone else was left wondering how things had changed so quickly. After all, the lightweight champion is now pulling numbers that belong to global stars, not niche fighters. Overnight, he added thousands of new followers, officially surpassing Islam Makhachev in a battle of fame that he clearly is winning.

Ilia Topuria’s new milestone fuels the Islam Makhachev rivalry even more

Within hours, Ilia Topuria surpassed 12 million followers, beating Islam Makhachev’s 11.9 million to become the fourth-most-followed fighter in UFC history. It wasn’t a number you could face—more than 700,000 new followers overnight—, and it immediately changed the dynamic of a simmering rivalry between the two champs, as ‘El Matador’ now has the upper hand, at least in terms of popularity.

Makhachev dominated the headlines days ago by winning a second belt. Now, Topuria holds the global attention edge, and he didn’t even have to fight for it. But the milestone is more than just numbers. The Spanish-Georgian’s rise is linked to a story he keeps pushing: a superfight against Makhachev at catchweight for a brand-new pound-for-pound title.

“The fight I would really like is against Islam Makhachev in the third weight division,” he said. Ambitious? Sure. Perhaps unrealistic. However, superstardom offers a fighter an advantage. Fans are currently watching Makhachev dominate the cage while Topuria rules the internet—different arenas, same pressure building toward an epic clash.

And yet, as his popularity skyrockets, Topuria isn’t even preparing for a fight. He announced that he will not return in early 2026 due to personal reasons, claiming he wants time with his children and does not want to “hold up the division.” It’s an unusual acknowledgment from a champion at the peak of his popularity.

While Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett now fight for the interim title, and Arman Tsarukyan still looks for a title shot, Ilia Topuria will be watching from the sidelines, his popularity rising even while he steps away. And when an opportunity occurs to beat Islam Makhachev once again, but this time inside the Octagon, he is ready to come in all guns blazing. But for the fight to materialize, Islam Makhachev has laid out two conditions that will have to be met.

Islam Makhachev’s conditions to fight Ilia Topuria

While Ilia Topuria stands aside and watches the division move forward without him, the guy he keeps calling for has already set the terms. Islam Makhachev isn’t opposed to the fight; he just won’t pretend it can happen under the same circumstances as before. From Qatar, he made it clear that if ‘El Matador’ wants him, he must do it on the ground that makes sense for a champion who no longer fits into the lightweight category.

The Dagestani put it bluntly: a return to 155 would only happen for the right payday. “The UFC would need to make me a very good offer to go back down,” he stated, emphasizing how much more difficult the cuts have become. “I’m not young anymore… every weight cut takes years off your health.” He even stated that he should have moved up sooner, a rare acknowledgment from someone who built his career dominating that division.

That left two options for making the fight happen, neither of which needs guesswork. Either the UFC pays Makhachev enough to warrant a final, excruciating drop to 155, or he and Ilia Topuria meet at 170 pounds, a weight both have openly desired. The interest is mutual, the intentions are obvious, and the only uncertainty left is when the UFC will pull the trigger.