Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025, in Las Vegas, shaking up the lightweight division. Javier Mendez, coach to former lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, shared his thoughts on Submission Radio, naming Jack Della Maddalena as the toughest welterweight opponent for Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan as a major hurdle for Topuria at lightweight. He also commented on Paddy Pimblett’s push for a fight and Makhachev’s dream of a big bout at Madison Square Garden.
Mendez’s Take on Top Threats
Topuria’s first-round knockout of Oliveira at T-Mobile Arena made him a two-division champ, holding both featherweight and lightweight titles. Mendez was impressed, saying:
“Can he do that? I don’t know. Maybe he can. Look what he did to Charles. Charles came in for the takedown and [Topuria] switched it on him mid-air. That was very impressive.”
He sees Tsarukyan’s wrestling as a bigger challenge than Pimblett’s hype, noting:
“I see Justin Gaethje potentially giving him some problems. Arman Tsarukyan would be the one that, in my opinion, might give him the most problems. Because Arman’s not going to stand with him, Arman’s going to make it a grappling war. So it’s going to be a war of attrition. Can he really survive the continuous ground attack that Arman’s going to put on him? That would be the test.”
For Makhachev at welterweight, Mendez chose Maddalena over Topuria, stating:
“For me JDM [Maddalena] is the tougher one because of number one, the size. Number two, he’s good everywhere. If it was just boxing, then we don’t have to worry as much because Maddalena’s boxing is not as good as Topuria’s but overall, his kicking, his knees, his overall game is very good.”
He also pushed for Makhachev to face Maddalena at Madison Square Garden, saying:
“That would be fantastic if the UFC gives us that bout in Madison Square Garden because Islam would love that. Nothing better to do than to win the title at Madison Square Garden, the iconic Madison Square Garden. So for him, it’s another legacy stat that he would love to go after cuz the one thing that he’s after, he’s said it time and time again, he’s after legacy fights.”
On Pimblett’s callout of Topuria, Mendez said:
“Listen, anybody that’s going to get upset has to remember, this is not a true sport – it’s entertainment first. If you get upset, make some noise then. Paddy Pimblett makes the noise, and the fans want to see him. So the fans are going to get what they want. If it’s Paddy Pimblett, that’s going to make the most noise, so it’s Paddy Pimblett that fans are going to want to see. So, Arman needs to get out there and make some noise.”
Topuria, 17-0, was born in Georgia and raised in Spain. He joined the UFC in 2020, knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024 to win the featherweight title, defending it against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024, and taking the lightweight title at UFC 317. His striking and grappling defense make him a top fighter.
Maddalena, 18-2, won the welterweight title by outpointing Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 on May 10, 2025, in Montreal, earning a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. The Australian has 12 knockouts and four submissions, showing his well-rounded skills.
Tsarukyan, 22-3, beat Oliveira by split decision at UFC 300 in April 2024. His wrestling-heavy style is tough for strikers, and he’s been calling for a title shot. Pimblett, 23-3, TKO’d Michael Chandler at UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, with leg kicks and a knee for a third-round stoppage. His 2022 UFC London clash with Topuria fuels their rivalry.
Daniel Cormier said a Topuria-Pimblett fight at Santiago Bernabeu could sell 80,000 seats. Topuria rejected a 4 a.m. fight time for U.S. viewers, and his manager noted security and scheduling issues at Bernabeu. Makhachev, 27-1, vacated his lightweight title to chase Maddalena’s welterweight belt, aiming for a fall 2025 fight. No date is set for Madison Square Garden.
Topuria’s next opponent is undecided, with Pimblett’s hype and Tsarukyan’s skills in the mix. Makhachev vs. Maddalena could shake up welterweight, and a Topuria-Makhachev fight remains a big possibility.
