UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) may just be ready to move up in weight sooner rather than later. After positively starching BMF title holder Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) at UFC 308, it seemed as though Topuria’s next fight had all but been confirmed when he faced off with former 145-lb. king Alexander Volkanovski in the cage following his victory.
Ilia Topuria Seeking Move to 155 in Future?
However, that bout looks to be in jeopardy, as Ilia Topuria appears more interested in taking his talents up to the lightweight division instead. He even has his first opponent in mind for when he decides to make the switch.
⭐️ @Topuriailia, en directo en @partidazocope
🤔 "Tal vez toca un cambio…"
🤩 "¿Si habéis visto mi último combate de peso pluma? Sí, seguro que sí"
📻 #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/EwIHhQkfBu
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) December 9, 2024
In a Spanish-speaking interview conducted with El Partidazo de COPE, Topuria suggested that his days as a featherweight are numbered by bluntly stating, “I’d like to move up a weight class.” For the past several months, the Georgian-born bruiser has made it well known that he has his eyes set on a potential super fight matchup with reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, a fight that the Dagestani hasn’t ruled out.
Should that pairing fail to materialize, Ilia Topuria would gladly take on another reputed striker of the division, “I’d like to move up to the next weight class, and since Islam is the champion fighting in January, and he won’t be ready for April or May, I’d like to fight against the No. 1 contender right now, who’s Charles Oliveira.” (35-10, 1 NC MMA, 23-10, 1 NC UFC)
Sizing Up Ilia Topuria with Charles Olivera
Recently competing at UFC 310 last month, Olivera perhaps secured his own shot at Makhachev after thoroughly dismantling Michael Chandler in a five round battle. Controlling the pace of the contest almost from start to finish with his superior stand up skills and grappling, “Do Bronx” almost found himself getting knocked out by “Iron” in the waning minutes of the fifth round before ultimately surviving until the final horn.
Although the former lightweight king acknowledged the abilities of the surging European, Oliveira was quick to caution Topuria on his desires to change weight classes. “I think that what happens is a lot of fighters, whenever they get the belt, they have that belt wrapped around their waist, they start thinking up and down in the divisions. But I think you have to be very careful when you’re coming up lightweight because this is tough. This is a very tough division. But at any rate, I think that he is a very tough and very dangerous guy.”
Could Ilia Topuria’s Stint at Lightweight Prove Fruitful?
Recognized today as arguably the UFC’s most-stacked weight class, the lightweight division holds some of the best fighters in the world, including having three of its top five competitors on the promotion’s pound-for-pound list. Should Ilia Topuria manage to net a successful venture there, then his status as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time would be all but assured.
Being the smaller man moving up, however, the featherweight champion will have his work cut out for him against the division’s taller and stronger names. Still, this hasn’t stopped the dominant Spaniard from making some bold proclamations in the past, proclamations he has followed through on.
