Lower than 50 days faraway from his first featherweight title protection, Ilia Topuria is able to transfer on.
In October, ‘El Matador’ viciously KO’d the UFC’s baddest motherf*cker Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi and seemed to be on observe for a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski in 2025. Nevertheless, which will not be the case after Topuria mentioned in no unsure phrases that he’s formally finished competing within the weight class.
“Yes, for sure. Definitely yes,” Topuria informed the El Partidazo de Cadena Cope podcast when requested if the Holloway battle was his final time competing at 145.
It’s somewhat shocking to listen to that Topuria is already plotting an exit from the burden class with recent matchups in opposition to top-five-ranked contenders like Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev out there.
As an alternative, ‘El Matador’ seems to have his sights set on changing into a two-division champion earlier than strolling away from the group in just a few brief years.
“We need to talk about it and take a look at my future, but for me, it’s very clear how I want to do it,” Topuria mentioned. “I’d like to move up to the next weight class, and since Islam [Makhachev] is the champion fighting in January, and he won’t be ready for April or May, I’d like to fight against the No. 1 contender right now, who’s Charles Oliveira… I’m 27; I hope to be out by 30.”
Islam Makhachev not excited about a battle with ilia topuria
Sadly for Ilia Topuria, the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ doesn’t appear too excited about combating him.
“We’ll fight if we have to,” Makhachev informed MatchTV. “In terms of my fighting career, I’m not interested in fighting Topuria at all. 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. That’s it. But, if people really want to see him lose, then we can do it.”
After securing a fifth-round submission victory over Dustin Poirier in June, Makahachev might be again in motion on January 18 to defend his light-weight title in opposition to the division’s No. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan.
The 2 beforehand met in April 2019 when Tsarukyan was making his UFC debut. Makhachev received that bout through unanimous choice in the course of what has turned out to be a 14-fight win streak relationship again to his third look with the promotion almost a decade in the past.
