Fighter Ilia Topuria Declares Willingness to Wait for UFC Lightweight Title Contention
Fight of the Century: Ilia Topuria Sets Sights on Lightweight Championship Clash
With his UFC featherweight title on the line, Ilia Topuria made it clear he's aiming for a showdown with the lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev.
Addressing this hot topic on the Joe Rogan podcast, Topuria left no room for doubt, "I'd love to spar with [Makhachev], no question about it. I'm gunning for him."
When Rogan floated the idea of a No. 1 contender fight instead of the much-anticipated Topuria versus Makhachev matchup, the 16-0 Topuria drew a battle line.
"Count me out for a No. 1 contender bout. If Makhachev ain't up for the challenge, I'll be on the bench until the UFC makes it happen. That belt's sitting like a prize waiting for me. You claim to be the world champ and you're dominating the division? Well, here I am. I'm not just a temporary roadblock, I'm your ultimate test," Topuria announced emphatically.
Rogan then inquired if the UFC had indeed promised Topuria a title shot.
"You bet your ass they did! If they're giving these chances to everyone, then why not me? They handed it to Henry Cejudo, Conor McGregor, St-Pierre...why not little ol' Topuria?" Topuria defiantly replied.
From Featherweight Titan to Lightweight Contender
Topuria entered the UFC with an unblemished record of eight wins. Climbing the featherweight rankings with ease, he made it to 13 wins by June 2023, securing four knockouts and three fight-night bonus awards. By the time he faced Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 298 in February 2024, Topuria was the No. 3 ranked fighter in the official UFC featherweight rankings.
He secured the title from Volkanovski that night with a second-round knockout, claiming a fourth straight fight-night bonus for his victory. Topuria successfully defended his title against former champion Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024, becoming the first fighter to finish Holloway via strikes.
Dana White on Ilia Topuria Vacating His UFC Title
In February, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Topuria was relinquishing his title. "Topuria has accomplished all he could in the featherweight division, and his body simply can’t make the weight anymore," White explained on Instagram Live. "So Topuria is moving up to 155 lbs and will be vacating the featherweight title. As soon as the first punch is thrown in the Volkanovski-Lopes fight, the title will be vacant."
Khabib Nurmagomedov and the Future of Islam Makhachev
In January, Makhachev defended his crown for a fourth time by submission victory over Renato Moicano. More recently, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who trains Makhachev, hinted that a fight against Arman Tsarukyan could be a potential clash for Makhachev.
"In my opinion, Tsarukyan might not be the most dangerous fighter, but he's arguably the most competitive. Topuria is a beast at 145, but we haven't seen his capabilities at 155. I think Tsarukyan is a better match for Makhachev. However, I'm not privy to Makhachev's negotiations with the UFC. They could have a deal in place for Topuria versus Makhachev, but Makhachev might be wary of fighting a new opponent three times after winning against former champions," Nurmagomedov stated.
Tsarukyan was replaced by Moicano on the UFC 311 card on weigh-in day.
So, as the dust settles after Volkanovski's successful UFC 314 title defense, all eyes are on the UFC to decide if Topuria gets the title shot he believes was promised to him: a mouth-watering battle royale against Makhachev.
- Ilia Topuria's sights are set on the lightweight championship, aiming for a showdown with Islam Makhachev.
- Topuria has been vocal about his intent to challenge Makhachev, stating that a No. 1 contender bout does not interest him.
- Topuria previously held the UFC featherweight title, but vacated it to move up to the lightweight division.
- The UFC will need to make a decision on whether to grant Topuria a title shot against Makhachev, as the lightweight championship is up for grabs following the recent UFC event.
