Ilia Topuria is prepared to demonstrate his full capability against the killer’s row of the promotion’s lightweight division. After giving up his featherweight championship, a few critics have been saying that ‘El Matador” is dodging the challengers from his old weight class. But, once you hear his reasons for moving up, you might notably perceive this situation from a different angle.
‘El Matador’ had been a charismatic champion in the featherweight division who actively sought out championship bouts that also turned out to be big-money fights against opponents with similar star power. Since Holloway and Volkanovski performed exceptionally well in their lightweight bouts, and he defeated both of them back-to-back, he has garnered sufficient confidence to compete against the bigger dogs in lightweight.
Ilia Topuria has previously shared his reasons for leaving the featherweight division and choosing not to hold onto the belt. But, he finds himself compelled to explain his decision until critics fully grasp it. Topuria has demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude, stating that he does not need validation from a belt to prove his status as the champion.
Topuria revealed, as per an Instagram by MMA Pros Pick, “I know I’m not going to drop weight right now, and I don’t want to hold up an entire division. There are guys training every day, fighting for their dreams just like I am… And holding onto the title would be very selfish of me Besides, I am the world champion, whether I vacate the title or not. I don’t need a belt to feel valid.”
Ilia Topuria has truly exemplified what it means to be a champion. By choosing to vacate the title, he has maintained momentum in the featherweight division, and for that reason, we are now set to see Alexander Volkanovski against Diego Lopes unifying the belt at UFC 314 in Miami.
While it would certainly be interesting to watch Topuria take on the up-and-coming contenders in the division, it’s important to remember that he was on the verge of shedding tears while cutting weight ahead of his first championship fight at UFC 298. He likely experienced similar agony during his clash with Max Holloway, which may have influenced his decision to vacate the title.
Since ‘El Matador’ will be more active, and better nourished leading up to his debut lightweight fight, there won’t be too much struggle with in terms of the weight cut—which means he will have more devastating power in his hands. This makes him a formidable challenge for any lightweight, including Islam Makhachev. If you don’t believe Topuria can be a menace, a former welterweight fighter would disagree with you.
Matt Brown picks Ilia Topuria to beat Islam Makhachev in the possible super fight
Many fans are likely to choose Islam Makhachev to defend his title against the ‘legend killer’ lia Topuria. The Dagestani does pose a significant threat to anyone of his size. However, ‘El Matador’s power has proven to be too much so far, even for a legendary fighter with an incredible chin like Max Holloway. This suggests the threat he will bring to the most difficult division in the UFC.
Currently, the lightweight division has several potential challengers for Makhachev, but most of them are rematches, with Justin Gaethje being the only fresh contender. Former UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes that Topuria would present the best challenge for the dominant champion.
Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, “We’ve talked about it. Islam—he’ll give resistance to that. He’ll try for that not to be the fight. Rightfully enough, I think he should but I don’t feel like anybody else has done anything significant to be just clear. That’s why there’s four of them.”
After Justin Gaethje secured a win over Rafael Fiziev at the co-main event, the UFC’s lightweight landscape became a bit complicated. Islam Makhachev reportedly turned down the super fight against Ilia Topuria, stating that he needs to have at least one significant win before being considered a challenger. We may see this fight later if it ever happens at all.
What do you think? When are we going to see Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev? Drop your comments below.
The post “I Don’t Need a Belt” – Ilia Topuria Comes Clean Refusing ‘Selfish’ Decision to Hold Up UFC Division appeared first on EssentiallySports.