Ilia Topuria faced some skepticism when he decided to make the move to the lightweight division. Some of his fellow UFC stars, and even the fight community, didn’t think he was big enough to give any top 155er, let alone his UFC 317 opponent Charles Oliveira, much competition due to the size discrepancy. However, ‘El Matador’ has shown some noticeable gains as he prepares to fight for the vacant lightweight title.
International Fight Week is wrapping up soon, and all eyes are on Ilia Topuria. Fans are buzzing about how he’ll hold up this weekend against a seasoned lightweight veteran. Before we dive into the fight at the T-Mobile Arena this Saturday, let’s check out the scoop on the former featherweight champ’s current weight, especially since he’s been turning heads with his transformation.
Ilia Topuria’s weight before his UFC lightweight return shocked the world
Before hitting the UFC scene, Ilia Topuria had been bouncing between two weight classes, bantamweight and featherweight. It’s no surprise that fans were vocal about their concerns, especially since his lightweight debut in the UFC had him facing some challenges against an unranked fighter like Jai Herbert. Still, Topuria was firm that fighting at 155 pounds felt more like his natural weight class. So, check this out! He had a point.
Over a week ago, a report by MMA Uncensored revealed Ilia Topuria was going to cut 19 lbs during this fight week, and if you’ve guessed it, ‘El Matador’ weighed in at 174 lbs. This surprised many in the community as they tried to dismiss the former champion. And while cutting weight, Topuria seemed very relaxed this time, claiming that he “belongs” to the lightweight division. “The reality is that I belong to this weight division. My muscles [are] on point. The power’s on point,” said Topuria on the ‘Embedded: Vlog Series’. “Everything is on point.”
Ilia’s been pulling out all the stops with some high-tech methods to shed those pounds before his lightweight title bout. One way to get in shape is by hitting the gym inside the sauna, a steamy room designed for sweating it out and shedding those pounds. Things are shaping up nicely for the Georgian-Spaniard now compared to when he was cutting down to 145 lbs. It was a real struggle for Topuria when he was trying to hit that championship weight for UFC 298.
Topuria’s insane weight cut against Alexander Volkanovski
Ilia Topuria did not lie when he claimed that he suffered a lot while cutting down to featherweight. When he was engaged in the process ahead of his maiden title fight against Alexander Volkanovski, ‘El Matador’ was in sheer pain. In a video that surfaced a few months ago, the former champion was brought to tears, and the process seemed very gruesome for the Georgian-Spaniard.
During the whole weight cut, Ilia Topuria’s team would consistently remind him that things would eventually turn out okay for him, since it was just until the weigh-in that he had to keep his composure. But that does not mean that everything was smooth sailing. The former champion was seen saying, “My heart is racing.” Then again, during the process, Topuria would ask his brother, “What’s happening?” He asked the same thing twice before adding, “These are tears of happiness and gratefulness for all the hard work and God’s help,” and left the room with the assistance of his coach.
When fight night rolled around at UFC 298, Ilia Topuria stepped into the cage, weighing in at about 167 lbs. So, what this means is that the former champ might be stepping into the Octagon this weekend weighing in about twenty pounds over the lightweight championship limit. What’s your take on it? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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