Ilia Topuria Got STUNNED, and Islam Makhachev's Coach Is Already Gunning for UFC's BIGGEST Payday

Alright, you fight fans, buckle up because the MMA world just got flipped on its head, and the fallout is wild! Remember how everyone was hyping up Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria for an absolute superfight? Yeah, well, that whole thing just crashed and burned, and honestly, Makhachev's main man, Javier Mendez, couldn't care less. In fact, he's already moved on to dreaming about an even bigger show, and we're talking about a record-shattering event here.

Topuria's Shocking Upset Didn't Even Phase Them

The buzz was real, with Makhachev, sporting a 28-1 MMA record, and Topuria, at 17-1, on a collision course. But the UFC couldn't make it happen at UFC Freedom 250, with Makhachev's camp saying Topuria priced himself out. Instead, Topuria went to unify his lightweight title against interim champ Justin Gaethje, who was 28-5 coming into that fight. And what happened? Topuria got utterly blindsided! He suffered a stunning upset loss last Sunday, fighting right there at the White House in Washington DC. But here's the kicker: Javier Mendez, Islam's head coach, is absolutely unbothered. He told Submission Radio straight up, "I'm not disappointed at all." Can you believe that? Mendez chalked it up to God's plans and said they're just moving on. He even doubled down, saying, "Let's face it, Islam Makhachev has plenty of challengers in the welterweight division. We didn't need Topuria for Islam to vault himself to another level." Talk about confidence, or maybe just a cold, hard business decision!

The McGregor Dream Fight: UFC History in the Making?

With Topuria out of the pi

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cture, Mendez has already set his sights on another massive star: Conor McGregor. McGregor, who's 22-6 in MMA, is making his big return from a five-year layoff on July 11. He's squaring off against Max Holloway, who holds a 27-9 record, in the UFC 329 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. And guess what? McGregor himself is open to the idea of a Makhachev title fight, telling "The Ariel Helwani Show," "Islam, there's history there. It's at 170. I know he's fighting my fellow Irishman, who I've also trained with, who I also know. I'm open for it, for sure." Mendez, obviously, is salivating at the prospect. He remembers Khabib Nurmagomedov's win over McGregor crushing the UFC's pay-per-view record, and he wants a piece of that action. Mendez said, "If he becomes victorious, which for me, maybe I don't want him to be victorious. But if he is victorious, then maybe if he wants, that's something we could talk about." He went on to say, "That would be just as big, if not bigger to be honest. If he's victorious, in my opinion, it would be bigger. It could very well be the biggest fight in UFC history if that was to happen. To be honest with you, he brings so much to the table. If I had a wish list, that's the one." You hear that? "Biggest fight in UFC history!" This isn't just talk, this is a calculated play for absolute superstardom. Islam Makhachev still has business to handle first, defending his title against Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA) in the UFC 330 headliner on August 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. But if McGregor pulls off a win in July, the entire fight game could shift. The stakes couldn't be higher, and we're all waiting to see if Mendez's "wish list" turns into reality.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.