UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev hopes the loss to Justin Gaethje changes Ilia Topuria for the better, not worse.
Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) was battered when he lost his title to Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June. The setback marked the first of Topuria's career after a dominant run in which he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.
Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) was on a collision course with Topuria for a while, but their fight never materialized. Makhachev appeared happy to see Topuria get humbled at first, but he now has changed his tune.
"Sure, he will be back because he's still young, and he has time," Makhachev told Demetrious Johnson of Topuria. "I hope he will come back and show a good performance
because I see Ilia is a good fighter. He has good punch, he has good wrestling, good skills on the ground. If he focuses again, maybe he will be champion again. I don't know. But this fight (vs. Gaethje) changed his life, but we don't know which way."
Makhachev makes his first welterweight title defense against Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 330 main event (Paramount+) at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Islam Makhachev hopes Ilia Topuria rebounds from Justin Gaethje loss
