After knocking out arguably the 2 biggest featherweights in UFC historical past, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, Ilia Topuria opted to maneuver as much as the light-weight division.
Topuria received the 145-pound title by knocking out Volkanovski within the second spherical at UFC 298 in February 2024. He defended the title by knocking out Holloway at UFC 308 final October. He relinquished the title to try changing into a two-division UFC champion however light-weight titleholder Islam Makhachev would not suppose Topuria deserves a 155-pound title combat.
Topuria claims the combat promotion promised him a title bout in his subsequent combat, and “El Matador” will wait so long as it takes to get it.
“I want to combat with Islam, that is for certain. I want to combat him,” stated Topuria on “The Joe Rogan Expertise” podcast. “I would not combat for a No. 1 contender combat. If Islam decides he would not need to combat me, I do not care. I will sit till you are going to must combat me. You say that you’re a world champion, that you’ll hold dominating the division, all that. I am right here. You’ll be able to’t hold avoiding me on a regular basis.
“I do not suppose they might put me on the sidelines, as a result of I vacated the belt as a result of I advised them I would not combat at 145 once more, however I obtained a promise that I’d combat for the title in my subsequent combat. So, how a lot time you’ll cease me from preventing?”
