Ilia Topuria Vows To Sit Until He Gets UFC Lightweight Title Shot

Technically, Ilia Topuria was the UFC featherweight champion until the moment the main event of UFC 314 between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes began. Once that fight started, the title was vacant, leaving many, including Topuria, to wonder what was next for the former UFC featherweight titleholder.

Topuria, speaking to Joe Rogan, said he has clear plans for who he will fight and what the stakes of that fight will be.

Ilia Topuria Wants A Lightweight Title Shot

“I would like to fight with [UFC lightweight champion] Islam [Makhachev], that is for sure, I would like to fight him,” said Topuria.

When Rogan broached the subject of the UFC possibly giving Topuria a No. 1 contender fight instead of his desired matchup with Makhachev, the 16-0 Topuria drew a line in the sand.

“I wouldn’t fight for a No. 1 contender fight. If Islam decides he doesn’t want to fight me. I’ll sit until you’re gonna have to fight me,” Topuria said. “You say you are the world champion, and you’re going to keep dominating the division and all that? I’m here. You can’t keep avoiding me all the time. I don’t think they would put me on the sidelines because I vacated the belt because I told them I wouldn’t fight at 145 again, but I got a promise that I would fight for the title in my next fight. So, how much time will you stop me from fighting?”

Rogan then asked Topuria if the UFC had promised him a title fight.

Ilia Topuria Says UFC Promised Him A Title Shot

“Of course,” said Topuria. “If they give that chance to everybody, why not to me? They gave it to Henry Cejudo. They gave it to Conor McGregor. They gave it to Georges St-Pierre. They gave it to [Jon]

Jones. They gave it to everyone. And I proved that I deserve that chance. I knocked out two of the all-time [featherweight] greats. Volk was dominating everyone in the 145 division, and Max Holloway? Great fighter.”

Topuria joined the UFC with an 8-0 record. He quickly climbed the featherweight rankings, going 6-0 by June 2023 with four stoppage wins and three fight-night bonus awards. By the time he faced Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 298 in February 2024, Topuria was the No. 3 ranked fighter in the official UFC featherweight rankings.

Topuria took the title from Volkanovski that night via second-round knockout. He also earned his fourth straight fight-night bonus for that win.

In October 2024, Topuria defended that title against former champion Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308. On that night in Abu Dhabi, Topuria became the first fighter to finish Holloway via strikes, stopping the ex-145-pound kingpin in the third stanza. Topuria took home another fight-night bonus for his efforts that night.

Dana White On Ilia Topuria Vacating His UFC Title

Then, in February, UFC CEO Dana White said Topuria was laying down his title.

“Topuria has felt like he’s done all he can in that division, and he feels like he’s cemented his legacy, and his body cannot make the weight anymore,” White said on Instagram Live. “So Topuria will be moving up to 155 pounds and will be vacating the featherweight title. … As soon as the first punch is thrown in (Volkanovski vs. Lopes), the title is vacated.”

“We will announce what Topuria’s next fight will be when we get it done,” White added.

Volkanovski reclaimed the title with a decision win over Lopes at UFC 314.

As for that next fight for Topuria, it hasn’t been announced.

Khabib Nurmagomedov On What Could Be Next For Islam Makhachev

Makhachev defended his crown for the fourth time in January with a submission win over Renato Moicano. Recently, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who trains Makhachev, suggested that the man Moicano replaced at UFC 311, Arman Tsarukyan, should get the shot.

“My personal opinion — not necessarily [more] dangerous, let’s say more competitive — I think it’s [Arman] Tsarukyan,” Khabib Nurmagomedov told Adam Zubayraev. “I think Arman is a more serious fighter than Topuria. Topuria is a good fighter at 145, but we haven’t seen him at 155. I believe Arman is more competitive for Islam than Topuria. …

“I don’t know what kind of agreements Topuria and the UFC had, but from Islam’s side, he already gave two title shots to 145 champions. Both times Islam won. Now a third time — OK, let’s imagine Topuria moves up and gets a title shot right away, Islam beats him, then Topuria fights again, he loses again. So basically [a] nobody at 155. Islam beat a guy who was a nobody at 155. Because of that, in terms of legacy for Islam, for his resume, I understand Islam’s risks, too. That’s why Islam says let him fight, let him become a real contender.”

Tsarukyan fell off the UFC 311 card on weigh-in day.

Obviously Ilia Topuria sees things different. Soon, it will be up to the UFC to decide if Topuria gets what he says was promised to him, which is a title fight against Makhachev.