UFC featherweight champ Ilia ‘El Matador’ Topuria has decided to leave the 145-pound division behind, setting his sights on new challenges in the lightweight category. Topuria’s decision comes just days after lightweight champion Islam Makhachev stated he had no interest in fighting Ilia since he was just another lighter fighter to him.
During an interview with El Partidazo de COPE, Topuria was asked if the fans had seen his last fight at featherweight.
“Yes, for sure,” he responded.
When further prodded about his move up to lightweight, he gave an affirmative nod.
Topuria’s decision doesn’t come as a surprise. On many occasions in the past, he has mentioned the difficulty of cutting weight to 145 pounds, while hinting at lightweight ambitions.
Topuria couldn’t have picked a better time. The undefeated Spaniard has carved a path of decimation on his way to the title, taking out elite contenders before defeating two of the greatest featherweights in UFC history — Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.
By beating Volkanovski, a dominant champion many believed was unbeatable, and Holloway, Topuria has cemented himself as one of the most complete fighters not just in the division, but in the UFC as well.
With Holloway moving out of featherweight for good, there’s very little in terms of challenge left for Topuria. The lightweight division, on the other hand, offers the prospect of elevating his stardom to new heights. It’s also a division that rests on a perfectly balanced scale between skill and power, which would suit Topuria.
However, lightweight is also the most stacked division in the UFC right now. Four of the top 5 there — Islam Makhachev, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier — are superstars in their own right. So, almost every fight Topuria would take on in the division will be a blockbuster main event.
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However, El Matador‘s primary goal could be to prove Makhachev wrong.
Makhachev dismissive of Topuria
Earlier last week, lightweight champ Makhachev had said he wasn’t exactly eager to fight Topuria. Islam didn’t feel he would benefit much from it.
“He’s in a different weight class. I’ll beat him, and what will that do for me? I won’t win another belt. Everyone will once again say that I beat a featherweight,” said Makhachev.
Islam Makhachev says he isn’t interested in fighting Ilia Topuria:
“If I beat him, what will that do for me?… Everyone will once again say that I beat a featherweight…
But if people really want to see him lose, then we can do it.”
MatchTV #UFCpic.twitter.com/cQUWzdiRzI
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 4, 2024
Islam’s first two title defenses were against Volkanovski, who was the featherweight champ at the time. And even though he made history by submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, he still faces accusations that he prefers to fight featherweight fighters for easy wins.
Next on Makhachev’s radar is likely a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan, scheduled for UFC 311 on January 18. If Topuria does make his lightweight move official, he would surely get on that title shot train. But he may have to wait a bit to challenge for the belt.
