Ilia Topuria hasn’t even had time to settle into life as the lightweight champion, and already the conversation has switched to something bigger. Not just a defense or a superfight. A third belt. The kind of ambition that once consumed Conor McGregor is now hovering around ‘El Matador,’ especially with welterweight gold on the line.

The twist? Islam Makhachev is not shutting it down. If anything, he is leaning in. The reigning 170-pound champion said that he is open to the fight once Ramadan ends, stating that he will begin training after that and be ready for whatever date the UFC decides, including the White House card. And with that, the fantasy now feels more lifelike. But not everyone sees it as a fairy tale.

Beneil Dariush believes 170 changes everything for Ilia Topuria

Beneil Dariush, a longtime lightweight contender, delivered a calm warning during his interview with RealMMAToday: In this fight, the division matters more than the names. Despite both fighters being absolute phenoms on paper, in his view, the same matchup looks drastically different depending on the scale.

“At 155, Ilia had a very good shot,” Dariush explained. “I would have put it 50-50. If anything, I would have probably favored Ilia.” His reasoning was simple. ‘El Matador’ is powerful, compact, and does not drain himself to become lightweight. ‘Benny’ believes he’d be fresher and more dangerous late in five rounds with his boxing and jiu-jitsu.

But at welterweight? The tone changed drastically. “At 170, I don’t think so,” he said bluntly. “It’s a massive weight difference, and Islam doesn’t have to cut a lot of weight.” That is the part that raises eyebrows. The Dagestani phenom was already strong at 155 pounds before moving up, and he now carries the weight naturally. No need for an extreme cut or depletion of any sort.

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Ilia Topuria has proven that he can withstand elite competition across divisions, but 170 isn’t just another step. It’s a significant leap. And when facing someone as positionally oppressive as Islam Makhachev, size amplifies everything—top control, clinch work, and chain wrestling.

Currently, the UFC has several choices. Many welterweights are vying for their shot. However, a champion-versus-champion fight at a landmark event would be hard to resist. Maybe that’s why, despite there being major downsides with either fighter changing divisions, Michael Bisping believes the promotion should snub Justin Gaethje to book Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev.

UFC Insider pushes for Islam Makhachev vs. Topuria at the White House

If the UFC is really trying to create something significant for the White House, Michael Bisping feels they cannot afford to think small. With Islam Makhachev openly welcoming a fight and Ilia Topuria pursuing greatness beyond divisions, ‘The Count’ sees a unique opportunity where spectacle overrides standard procedure.

A rematch with Justin Gaethje may be the logical choice, but logic isn’t often the focus of major events. Michael Bisping didn’t dismiss Gaethje’s claim. He agreed that the interim champion deserved his shot. However, the White House is more than just another pay-per-view. “You can’t put an event on at the White House and not have the fight card just blow everything else to smithereens,” he said on his YouTube channel.

In his view, “There is no bigger fight right now, in my humble opinion, than Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria.” He stated that for an event expected to receive global attention, the UFC should favor scale rather than merit order. That way of thinking would necessitate temporarily shelving Gaethje.

“Unfortunately, in this situation, Justin Gaethje’s gonna have to wait,” Bisping added. It’s a cold assessment, but it represents how the promotion has previously operated—when history is on the table, hierarchy can shift. And if the White House card wants to be as big as the promotion promises it will be, the champion vs. champion is the only bout big enough to carry it.