Javier Mendez Downplays Ilia Topuria's Loss for Islam Makhachev's Future

Javier Mendez, head coach of UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, remains unfazed by the recent setback faced by Ilia Topuria, which has put a highly anticipated matchup between the two fighters in jeopardy. Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) and Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) appeared on a collision course, but negotiations fell through for a showdown at UFC Freedom 250, with Makhachev alleging that Topuria was unwilling to accept the fight due to financial disagreements.

Instead of facing Makhachev, Topuria fought Justin Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in a bid to unify the lightweight title but suffered a surprising defeat on Sunday at the White House in Washington, D.C. Mendez expressed his indifference regarding the situation, stating, "I'm not disappointed at all. It's in God's plans. We just go along with whatever God plans for us to do, and it just means we move on forward." He emphasized that Makhachev has numerous challengers in the welterweight division, making Topuria's involvement unnecessary for Makhachev's ascent.

Makhachev is now set to defend his title against Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) at UFC 330 on August 15, taking place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia (Paramount+). As Mendez shifts his focus to another potential star, he mentioned Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who is making his comeback after a five-year hiatus to face Max Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas.

McGregor expressed interest in a title fight against Makhachev, noting the history between them. "Islam, there's history there. It's at 170," McGregor said on "The Ariel Helwani Show." Mendez echoed this sentiment, highlighting the potential magnitude of a fight with McGregor, especially considering the record-breaking pay-per-view success of Khabib Nurmagomedov's victory over McGregor. "If he becomes victorious, then maybe if he wants, that's something we could talk about. It could very well be the biggest fight in UFC history if that was to happen," Mendez added.