Just days out from his pivotal lightweight return at UFC 317, Ilia Topuria claims he is already en route to shaping the future of MMA — and the division, particularly with a win.
Topuria, who vacated his featherweight crown earlier this year, enjoyed an unbeaten run at the weight class since his tenure with the UFC began back in 2020.
And set to make a return to the lightweight limit this weekend, the Spaniard will challenge for the vacant spoils. In 3 days time, he fights former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, during International Fight Week, and will look to scoop his second title in the promotion to boot.
Running roughshod over his featherweight counterparts en route to huge knockout wins over both Alexander Volkanovski and then Max Holloway, Topuria has vowed to reshape the lightweight division upon holding its key as the new champion.
A brutal striker — and likely unknown to some fans– and adept grappler, Topuria has been nothing short of dominant during his naive run in the promotion.
And as far as he’s concerned, with a victory over the well-rounded Oliveira this weekend — the promotion’s most prolific finisher– he will prove he has all the tools to become the next force for time to come across combat sports.
“I’m something different,” Topuria told UFC during a recent interview ahead of his return against Oliveira.
“I always said I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts. What does that mean? That means that if you want to become the best fighter in the world, you have to be a complete fighter. You have to be good in your striking game, with your wrestling and with your ground game,” he added.
“If we go to the past and we look at the fighters and the world champions, you could become a world champion with only two sports. For example, with striking or wrestling, and without a ground game, you could become a world champion,” he said, asserting that modern MMA demands more from its disciples.
And Topuria believes, he is on top of it. Backing up those claims with his string of wins, Topuria has vowed to bring too much for Oliveira this weekend at UFC 317, too.
Topuria promises to bring new skill to Oliveira clash
Closing as a significant betting favorite to beat Brazilian stalwart Oliveira, this weekend in ‘Sin City’, Topuria maintains his confidence ahead of his comeback.
Promising to stop the Sao Paulo star inside the opening round in their anticipated main event clash, Topuria believes his status at 155lbs will prove a sea change in how the division plays out once he lands.
“This is what I’ve been saying for a long time. The skill development I’m bringing to this sport, they’ve never felt it,” Topuria told Uncrowned.
“They never saw it. So this is what’s going to happen with Charles. He thinks that he has some opportunities, but the reality is that he [does] not. The only thing he has to do is show up, and I’ll do the rest,” the Spaniard asserted with confidence.
