Earlier this week, Ilia Topuria head coach Jorge Climent revealed that the featherweight champion is done at 145 pounds and will make his official move to lightweight.
The Spaniard's comments came as a shock as Ilia Topuria was likely to defend his title against Alexander Volkanovski after knocking out Max Holloway last October.
After his incredible performance against 'Blessed', he and Volkanovski faced off again, setting up for a huge rematch of the featherweight title fight.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Ilia Topuria addresses his coach's comments on whether he will give up the title
'El Matador' has always made it clear that he ultimately wants to move up to the lightweight division to fight Islam Makhachev in what would be one of the biggest fights in UFC history.
This appears to be starting a rivalry between the two, with Makhachev recently commenting on the likelihood of a fight with the Spaniard.
Climent noted that when Topuria makes his move to lightweight official, he will likely vacate the featherweight title, which surprised fans.
However, following his coach's comments, Topuria has shed some light on his plans and stated that he will not give up the 145-pound belt.
“I will not leave the title vacant. The decision to move on to the next (weight) category is entirely mine,” the champion began to explain.
“I haven't had any discussions with the UFC yet, so everything has yet to be decided. Stop celebrating because I'm not going anywhere. I have conquered my division and will do the same in the next one,” he continued.
I will not leave the title vacant. The decision to move on to the next category is entirely mine. I haven't had any discussions with the UFC yet, so everything is still to be decided. Stop celebrating because I'm not going anywhere. I have overcome my divisions and I will…
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) December 12, 2024
View Tweet
While the 27-year-old hasn't exactly dismissed rumors that he will move up to lightweight for his next fight, he is confident that whatever his next move, he won't give up the featherweight title and will do so. going for double champion status if he moves up.
Who can we expect to see Topuria fight next and when?
To confuse matters further, Topuria recently told Spanish radio station El Partidazo de COPE that he would like to fight Charles Oliveira next as Makhachev is already booked to fight Arman Tsarukyan in January.
As he mentioned, he and the UFC have yet to begin talks about his next fight, but following the news that he's considering a move to lightweight, the promotion will certainly be looking to start talks soon.
The original plan was apparently for 'El Matador' to defend his title against 'The Great' Volkanovski in mid-2025, possibly in Spain.
Despite outlining his plans to move up the ranks, he will likely press ahead with another 145-pound title defense after declaring he's “not going anywhere.”
Related posts
Comments