Ilia Topuria will try to become a two -road champion at UFC 317 later this month.
Charles Oliveira is the only thing that stands in the way of 'El Matador' and lightweight glory on 28 June.
16-0 Superstar Ilia Topuria has left its featherweight title to pursue 155 pounds of gold earlier this year.
For many, the move came as a shock, because the 28-year-old had defended his 145 pound belt only once.
Now Ilia Topuria has revealed the real reason why he decided to take such a drastic action.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Ilia Topuria explains why he moved to lightweight
Topuria is only 5ft 7 in and is one of the smaller hunters in its new weight class.
Nevertheless, the Spaniard believes that giving up size is a small price to pay for avoiding a torturing weight reduction.
“If you cut weight and you can't eat or drink water, don't care for material things,” said Topuria in Spanish during a recent interview with ESPN Deportes.
“They can give you pockets with money, they can give you all the cars you want, you don't care at all.
“If they give you this small glass of water and say:” You can drink this and it will not enlarge your weight, “I will give you what is needed at the time. I am so low. I feel terrible. It is as if I am naked in the middle of the street. I feel terrible. So I didn't want to suffer anymore. I didn't want that anymore.
“I had already done it during my career. I had already reached my dream, namely a world champion. I had to close that chapter because I no longer wanted to suffer.
“To be honest, it's like living in the desert and I wanted to live on the beach.”
Ilia Topuria feels stronger than ever for UFC 317
During a promo pre-event for UFC 317, Topuria Vechtfans gave an idea of ​​how he feels at 155 pounds.
The pound-for-pound superstar fears that he will explode the chin of Oliveira if he connects neatly.
“I feel so powerful at 155,” said Topuria.
“I'm going to touch his chin and it will explode.”
Oliveira is not worried because he believes that the KO power is in his hands after years of lightweight success.
“I don't care much about what people say there. In reality that is the reality,” he told completely violence. “I know he is a man who hits hard, but he is talking about the lightweight category, the harder category.
“I fought against Justin Gaethje and everyone said he was the man who hit harder, and when I did, he went downstairs.
“I believe in the power of fire in the hands I have, so let's wait, we'll meet at the 28th.”