Ilia Topuria, the current featherweight champion, has recently made headlines by expressing his interest in moving up to the lightweight division. This decision came as a surprise to many MMA fans and pundits, especially after his impressive victory over Max Holloway at UFC 308, where he handed the Hawaiian his first knockout defeat.
Following his win over Holloway, Topuria was expected to defend his title against Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch of their previous bout. The two fighters even shared a faceoff in the octagon at UFC 308. However, in the weeks that followed the event, it seems that Topuria has had a change of heart regarding his weight class.
In a recent interview on Submission Radio, Topuria’s coach, Jorge Climent, confirmed the fighter’s decision to move up to the lightweight division. Climent explained that Topuria has grown tired of the grueling weight cut required to compete at featherweight and is looking forward to the new challenge in a higher weight class. He also hinted that Topuria may not defend his featherweight title and instead focus on fighting ranked opponents in the lightweight division.
Regarding a potential rematch with Volkanovski, Climent suggested that it may not happen if the Australian fighter chooses to remain in the featherweight division. This decision would allow Topuria to pursue his goals in the lightweight division without facing his previous opponent again.
In another surprising development, Topuria shared his retirement timeline during an interview with Spanish news broadcaster El Partidazio de COPE. The featherweight champion expressed his desire to move up to the lightweight division and potentially face Charles Oliveira for a second UFC world title. Despite being only 27 years old and considered one of the top talents in MMA, Topuria hinted at retiring by the age of 30, citing a lack of motivation to defend his featherweight belt.
Overall, Topuria’s decision to move up to the lightweight division and his retirement timeline have sparked interest and speculation among MMA fans. With his impressive record and skillset, it will be intriguing to see how Topuria navigates this new chapter in his career and if he can achieve his goal of holding multiple promotional titles before retiring.
