Ilia Topuria’s decision to vacate his featherweight title to pursue lightweight ambitions has evoked mixed reactions. While some fighters welcomed the move, others, like rising contender Jose Delgado, are furious that they lost the opportunity to challenge him.
Hailing from Yuma, Arizona, and fighting out of Phoenix, the 5’11” Delgado boasts an impressive professional record of 9 wins and just 1 loss. Of those 9 wins, 5 have come by knockout and 4 by submission, a testament to his versatile skills.
For Delgado, a fight with the champion would have been a career-defining moment. Firstly, it would have been a title shot. Secondly, Topuria commands good pay-per-view numbers, which would reflect in his opponent’s purse as well. Unfortunately, the UFC and Topuria had different plans.
“I am furious that Ilia left the division,” Delgado told Inside Fighting while pointing out that the fight for the vacant title between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes was phenomenal. He called both the contenders “studs”.
But the two fighters pale in comparison to the stature of Topuria and that makes Delgado rue the missed opportunity all the more.
“I have one fight in the UFC – who the f*** am I to talk about Ilia? But I genuinely look at that guy, and to me, he’s the guy to beat… I want his head bad, to me, he is the most complete fighter I have ever seen,” he added.
Delgado has a long way to go in the UFC. Topuria was always a long shot anyway. However, with time, if the 26-year-old keeps winning, then he can probably think of moving up to 155 lbs to challenge the Spaniard. Considering his talent, that wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.
Meanwhile, questions remain about whether Topuria was asked to vacate the title or if he did it of his own volition. For quite some time, the ambitions of becoming a double champ have clouded many a division’s future. It’s a nightmare for the matchmakers too.
Fighters like Sean O’Malley, while they were champions, had openly stated wanting to move up and fight for another title while the No.1 contender in the divisions lay waiting for months. So, with Topuria’s 155 lbs ambitions made public months ago, the question was always going to be about whether the UFC would step in or allow the Spaniard to stall the 145 division.
And just a couple of days ago, Diego Lopes claimed that the UFC has made it clear that no champion would be allowed to stall the division. This makes it clear that the promotion had a hand to play in the Topuria situation.
Dana White addresses the vacant 145 lbs title situation
UFC bossman Dana White has asserted that the promotion wasn’t holding anyone hostage. According to White, the reigning champ voluntarily vacated his belt, feeling he had nothing left to prove at 145 pounds.
“He said, ‘I’ve done everything I can do here, I’m ready to move up’, and he vacated it,” White explained while adding he respected Topuria for not wanting to hold up anybody else’s opportunities.
Dana White is asked if Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev is the fight to make next:
“There’s still other possibilities. There’s a lot of sh*t going on right now.” #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/Q06AAQk1nn
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 23, 2025
Topuria’s exit set up a direction for the UFC’s lightweight division. But a title shot at Islam Makhachev isn’t a done deal just yet.
“There are still other possibilities,” White teased.
Meanwhile, rumor mills suggest that the Spaniard didn’t just drop a title to fight for the top contender spot at lightweight. Topuria, apparently, feels he should be taking on the champion, Islam Makhachev. That adds more intrigue and drama into the mix.
