Ilia Topuria is set to face Justin Gaethje at Freedom 250 for his first title defense. If he successfully defends his belt, many believe that his immediate next move would be a triple champ shot against Islam Makhachev at welterweight. But according to a Spanish insider, the Georgian-Spaniard could end up postponing the superfight against the Dagestani champ.

As per Championship Round’s post on X, ESPN Deportes reporter Carlos Legaspi said that Ilia Topuria would be open to defending his 155 lbs title against Arman Tsarukyan before pursuing the blockbuster clash against Islam Makhachev.

“He really wants to fight Arman,” Legaspi said. “If there’s one title defense, he’ll want it to be against Arman next. At that point, it would be undeniable. I think if Ilia wins, Arman Tsarukyan will be the next title defense, and then we’ll see what happens after that. Because there’s also the ambition of fighting Islam.”

Beyond the Makhachev matchup, Topuria’s clash against Tsarukyan remains one of the biggest “what if” scenarios in the lightweight division. Experts like Demetrious Johnson and Daniel Cormier believe the Armenian has the “attributes” to beat the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard in a fight.

Both 155ers have been throwing verbal jabs at each other, with the Armenian repeatedly claiming that ‘El Matador’ is “ducking” him, adding more fuel to their heated rivalry. And to be honest, Topuria did once claim that he would rather “vacate” the title than face Tsarukyan. However, the lightweight champ has recently changed his tune, stating that he’d be open to fighting Tsarukyan, who currently serves as the backup fighter for the UFC White House main event.

Though it’s still unclear what made Topuria change his stance on a matchup against Tsarukyan, Islam Makhachev might have played a role. In an interview with Tower GSK, the Dagestani claimed that the Georgian-Spaniard is indeed “ducking” the Armenian contender, the toughest stylistic matchup in the division. So, it could be that Ilia Topuria is determined to make a statement before challenging the 170 lbs champion. 

Now, as the Topuria vs Tsarukyan matchup looks like a real possibility, a former UFC champ has shared his prediction for this potential superfight.

Merab Dvalishvili predicts Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan lightweight match-up  

The matchup between Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan largely hinges on whether the Armenian’s wrestling can shock the world. Though the lightweight contender’s ground game has been praised by both experts and fans alike, Merab Dvalishvili believes it still won’t be enough.

The former bantamweight champ firmly holds the view that Tsarukyan will eventually need to stand and trade with Topuria, and that moment could bring an end to his title dreams.

“I respect Arman Tsarukyan, too. He is a great athlete, a great fighter,” Dvalishvili told Demetrious Johnson. “But since Ilia is the champion in this weight class, even if Arman fights Ilia, Ilia stylistically beats Arman. You can’t take Ilia down. It doesn’t even make sense to wrestle with him. Then Arman has to box with Ilia, too, and then Ilia will knock out Arman Tsarukyan.”

Well, ‘The Machine’ rightfully gives the edge to Topuria in this matchup. His compatriot has already steamrolled three legends back-to-back and also carries a strong background in Greco-Roman wrestling. That combination makes him even more dangerous than he already is. However, Tsarukyan also showcased sharp striking alongside his elite grappling and sprawls against Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar. So, beating ‘Ahalkalakets’ could still become a difficult task for Topuria.

That said, before finding out whether Ilia Topuria faces Islam Makhachev or Arman Tsarukyan next, he first needs to get past the Justin Gaethje challenge on June 14. And though he enters the fight as a considerable favorite, the threat of an upset always looms large.