“Topuria will be moving up to 155lb and will be vacating the featherweight title,” officially marking Ilia Topuria’s departure from the featherweight division in pursuit of a second championship. Since then, ‘El Matador’ has kept the entire lightweight division on edge, including reigning champion Islam Makhachev. In making this move, the Georgian export is following in the footsteps of his former idol, Conor McGregor.
Fresh off of defending his featherweight title, he made the bold decision to vacate the belt, setting his sights on becoming a two-division champion—an achievement only a handful of fighters have accomplished in UFC history. Now, the question remains: Will Dana White & Co. grant Ilia Topuria an immediate title shot, or will he have to earn his place in the division first?
As rumors swirl, names like Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and most recently, Arman Tsarukyan have surfaced as potential opponents for Ilia Topuria. Initially, ‘El Matador’ appeared open to the idea of fighting Tsarukyan, but his team has since clarified their position: “Ilia wants a championship fight. He will not fight for the status of a contender with Tsarukyan or anyone else.” [via TASS, h/t @RedCorner].” So, what’s really happening?
Former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub, however, sees things differently. In a recent YouTube video, Schaub weighed in on the situation, saying, “There’s a lot of news. UFC said, ‘Hold up,’ and dropped it like it’s hot.” With all the uncertainty, Schaub is certain that the Spanish-Georgian didn’t vacate his featherweight title without securing a chance at the lightweight belt. “I guarantee he fights Islam next—guarantee. You think Ilia was like, ‘I’ll vacate the belt, and you can just toss me whoever?’ No, no, no. I guarantee he did that knowing he’s going to get a shot at Islam.”
With this sharp remark, ‘Big Brown’ has effectively put the ball in Dana White and the UFC’s court. Schaub’s perspective holds weight in one particular scenario: Islam Makhachev, too, is eyeing a second UFC gold belt. Having already defended his title four times, the Dagestani fighter is likely eager to move on from the lightweight division. It’s also worth noting that this isn’t Ilia Topuria’s first venture into the lightweight division—he previously fought Jai Herbert back in 2022. Given that, it’s plausible that Dana White might offer him a direct title shot.
However, the wait for Topuria could mean a delay of up to a year. Additionally, comments from Makhachev’s head coach only add more fuel to the speculation, making a potential clash between the 155-pound champ and ‘El Matador’ seem increasingly inevitable.
Is Islam Makhachev’s coach open to a potential fight against Ilia Topuria?
Islam Makhachev made it clear last year that he wasn’t interested in giving a direct title shot to the “smaller” Ilia Topuria, stating, “I’m not going to give him a shot right away because he hasn’t done all the work he was supposed to in his weight class. There are still contenders he needs to beat.” The Dagestani native had already defeated former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice, which drew criticism from some for him fighting in a lower division.
However, the landscape has changed. Dana White granted Ilia Topuria’s request to move up to the 155lb division, with the condition that he vacate his featherweight title. ‘El Matador’ accepted, leaving Islam Makhachev with little choice but to face this new reality. Recently, Makhachev and his coach, Javier Mendez, have warmed up to the idea of a fight with the Georgian export if the UFC presents it.
Speaking to Submission Radio last week, Mendez commented, “All Islam needs is two months to prepare for anybody. He’s not going to care who he fights. You make 155, we all have the same attitude. We fight. You pay us, this is who you’re offering. He’s not going to say no. If that’s who they offer, that’s who’s been worked out as who’s on the table for Islam, that’s what Islam’s going to do.”
What’s your take on Brendan Schaub’s comment? Do you believe Dana White and the UFC will grant Ilia Topuria a direct lightweight title shot, or should he first face a top-ranked contender to prove himself? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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