UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has confirmed in a recent interview that his days as a 145-pound fighter are done. ‘El Matador’ has revealed plans to move up to lightweight with immediate effect, with his next fight likely to be at 155-pounds in the New Year.
Ilia Topuria Confirms Lightweight Move Next
Reigning UFC featherweight king Ilia Topuria has confirmed in a recent interview his days at 145-pounds are over. ‘El Matador’ recently shared some significant career plans during an interview on Spanish radio show El Partidazo de COPE.
During the interview, Topuria revealed that he plans on moving up to lightweight with immediate effect, as well as wanting to be retired from MMA by the time he is 30-years-old.
This means that Ilia Topuria’s next fight in the New Year could well be against a top contender at 155-pounds. It is unlikely the Spanish-Georgian MMA star will get a UFC Lightweight Title shot immediately, but could be given an opportunity to fight for the belt in 2025 if he first wins at 155-pounds.
Topuria beat both Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in his two featherweight title fights, winning both via emphatic knockout. Both Holloway and Volkanovski are widely regarded as two of the best 145-pound UFC fighters of all time, with Topuria making light work of both.
Now, ‘El Matador’ has turned his attentions to lightweight. Islam Makhachev is the current champion at 155-pounds, as well as being the pound-for-pound best UFC fighter on the planet right now. He faces Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 in January, with a possible showdown with Topuria possible for early summer.
Ilia Topuria says he's moving up to lightweight 😳
Interviewer: "Is it possible that we have already seen your last featherweight fight?"
Ilia: "Yes, for sure."
Interviewer: "You are moving to lightweight"
*Ilia nods*
(via. @partidazocope)pic.twitter.com/1i5V4PIb79
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 9, 2024
Who Could Topuria Fight On Lightweight Debut?
Given the timeline of fights, Ilia Topuria is instead eyeing a clash with #1 ranked lightweight and former champion Charles Oliveira for his 155-pound debut. Oliveira is next in line for a shot at the UFC Lightweight Title, but a fight with Topuria first would most definitely solidify who the next challenger for the belt would be.
Whether this fight happens remains to be seen, with UFC President Dana White yet to speak on the potential match-up. It would certainly be a mammoth clash, and has the potential to be a PPV headliner or at the very least a co-main event for a huge card in early 2025.
Speaking on his plans to leave the featherweight division behind and vacate his 145-pound title, Ilia Topuria told El Partidazo de COPE his plans for the immediate future and what to expect from him going forward:
“Since Islam is going to fight in January and he is not going to be ready for April/May, I would like to fight the No. 1 contender, which is Charles Oliveira.
“Right now, in my division I no longer have the motivation to defend the belt anymore. Now I want to move up a category and we’ll see how everything goes. I’m 27, I hope to be out by 30,” Topuria concluded.
Time will tell what happens next for ‘El Matador’ in the UFC. A move to lightweight looks imminent, with a potential shot at the title not beyond the realms of possibility withing the next six months.
Be sure to claim the various combat sports betting offers and free bet deals available on the SportsCasting site ahead of Ilia Topuria’s next fight.
