ROGAN RIFFS Dana White was pitched ‘crazy’ champ vs champ UFC super fight in X-rated plea from Joe Rogan before huge announcement
UFC bigwig Dana White was publicly pitched a “crazy” champion-versus-champion fight by his good friend Joe Rogan before making a huge announcement.
MMA’s premier promotion has only staged seven champ-vs-champ fights in its near 32-year-long history.
The most recent saw dominant lightweight king Islam Makhachev brutally knock out his former featherweight counterpart Alexander Volkanovski in October 2023.
Makhachev has been linked with a move up in weight to challenge for welterweight gold.
But veteran UFC commentator Rogan wants to see the Dagestani defend his belt against current 145lbs champion Ilia Topuria next.
During a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, he said: “As crazy as it sounds, I hope Ilia goes up to 155. I really do.
The most recent saw dominant lightweight king Islam Makhachev brutally knock out his former featherweight counterpart Alexander Volkanovski in October 2023.
Makhachev has been linked with a move up in weight to challenge for welterweight gold.
But veteran UFC commentator Rogan wants to see the Dagestani defend his belt against current 145lbs champion Ilia Topuria next.
During a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, he said: “As crazy as it sounds, I hope Ilia goes up to 155. I really do.
But Rogan dismissed the notion put forward by his good friend, saying: “Yeah, it’d be nice.
“But also who cares? Let’s go. Let’s f***ing go.”
“If you want to make that big fight in July, is it the Volkanovski rematch?
“I don’t know. I think people want to see Volkanovski win one.”
Georgian-born Spaniard Topuria became the king of the featherweights last February with a sensational second-round KO of Volkanovski at UFC 298.
He racked up his first title defence in equally as devastating fashion last October, knocking out former 145lbs king Max Holloway at UFC 308.
That stunning win proved to be Topuria’s last in the weight class as White announced this week he’ll be moving up to lightweight.
And fans are convinced he’ll be facing Makhachev, who became 155lbs champion in October 2022 with a second-round submission of then-titleholder Charles Oliveira, next.
Makhachev, the protege of the retired Khabib Nurmagomedov, hasn’t shown any sign of relinquishing the throne any time soon, racking up four straight title defences.
