Islam Makhachev is keeping the dream of many fans alive.

At the start of 2025, perhaps the biggest fight that could be made in MMA was a superfight between then-featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. But after Jack Della Maddalena beat Belal Muhammad to claim the welterweight title, Makhachev vacated the lightweight belt to move up to 170 pounds and chase two-division champ status. Instead, Topuria beat Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant lightweight title and fans thought the superfight may be lost.

While Makhachev is focused on Della Maddalena and claiming his second UFC belt, he’s not closing the door on the fight fans are so focused on.

“I can’t say for sure. There’s some intrigue with Topuria,” Makhachev told reporters at a recent press conference (h/t Ushatayka). “I’m also interested in that fight. Maybe it will be possible to make some kind of superfight.”

Topuria has already suggested he may eventually follow Makhachev up to 170 pounds to chase after the superfight, though he noted he promised the UFC he would stick at 155 pounds for a while first. But that may work out well, as Makhachev is unsure about ever returning to the lightweight division after putting on some weight in advance of his welterweight debut.

“I don’t know. It’s always been difficult,” Makhachev said when asked about dropping back down to 155. “Now, I’ll see how much I gain after the fight. If after the fight, in a month my weight is the same, then we can talk about it. If [the weight increases] and it was not easy anyway, I think we will have to sit down with the team to talk.”

And as for when Makhachev will compete for the welterweight title? Apparently soon. Rumors have swirled for weeks that he and Della Maddalena will face off in the main event of UFC 322 which is expected to take place in November at Madison Square Garden, and while nothing has yet been made official on that count, Makhachev expects the bout to be announced in the near future.

“I think all the verbal agreements already exist,” Makhachev said. “We’re waiting. I think they will announce it soon, in the next few weeks.”