UFC Faces Backlash Over BMF Title Bout Instead of Ilia Topuria’s Potential Title Defense in Spain
Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has raised eyebrows in the MMA community by pointing out a glaring missed opportunity in the UFC featherweight division.
At UFC 298, Ilia Topuria stunned the world by dethroning Alexander Volkanovski with a powerful knockout in the second round, signaling a seismic shift in the 145lbs landscape. With rumors circulating about a potential UFC event at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, speculation is rife about who Topuria could face in his first title defense.
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Helwani emphasized the significance of Topuria’s next opponent selection. He highlighted the upcoming bout between Yair Rodríguez and Brian Ortega as a pivotal matchup that could determine the ideal challenger for Topuria.
“If Yair wins, to me, that’s the fight,” Helwani asserted. “Mexico versus Spain, in Spain—the heat there, that would be blockbuster.”
However, Helwani expressed dismay over the UFC’s decision to book Max Holloway in a BMF Championship bout against Justin Gaethje instead of positioning him as a potential challenger for Topuria’s title defense in Madrid.
“It would be a three-horse race, if not for Max Holloway getting booked against Justin Gaethje,” Helwani lamented. “If Max Holloway didn’t get a fight against Justin Gaethje… it would be Max versus Ilia, massive fight, Bernabeu, put it in there, 80,000 people, the former king going against the new king, that’s the one.”
