At UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will fight for the vacant 145-pound featherweight title. The event, set for April 12 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, will feature a huge shake-up as reigning champion Ilia Topuria officially moves up to lightweight. But why did ‘El Matador’ decide to vacate the title when his reign has been going perfectly well for him? Did he get an injury, or is he all set to face a new opponent? Well, Dana White has revealed the answer that will excite many, expect Islam Makhachev.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the news on Wednesday, noting that Topuria has done everything he can in the featherweight category and would no longer fight at 145 pounds. He said, “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. So Topuria will be moving up to 155 pounds and will be vacating the featherweight title.”
So what’s next for him? Who will he face? Well, the Spanish-Georgian’s switch to lightweight has already prompted widespread speculation. Ariel Helwani said that the UFC intends to match Topuria against Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title later this year, maybe as early as International Fight Week in June. This potential matchup would pit the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter against the No. 1 ranked Makhachev, resulting in one of the year’s biggest fights.
While Ilia Topuria leaves the featherweight division, the focus switches to Volkanovski vs. Lopes. Volkanovski is trying to reclaim his title after losing to Makhachev and Topuria in consecutive knockouts. Meanwhile, Lopes has been on a roll, winning five straight fights since his UFC debut setback. With a new champion secured at UFC 314, the featherweight division is all set for a new chapter. But what if we tell you that ‘El Matador’ may have to face a different opponent before he gets to the Dagestani phenom?
Ilia Topuria might get a new challenger at Lightweight
One of the biggest standouts in the UFC in 2024, along with Alex Pereira, Ilia Topuria continues to rise and has big goals for his career. By vacating his title, ‘El Matador’ has already made clear his intention to get a new title now. However, it is possible that before getting a shot against Islam Makhachev, he will have to face a new opponent. So, who can it be? Well, one possible name that stands out is Paddy Pimblett.
In a recent interview with the ‘eldoberdanMMA’ channel on Youtube, the popular English athlete surprised everyone by questioning Topuria’s potential in lightweight due to his physical size and short stature. ‘The Baddy,’ as he is known, is 1.78 meters tall, compared to the 1.70 meters of the featherweight champion. He said, “Ilia’s a m—–t. People don’t understand how much bigger I am than Ilia. I’m so much bigger than him—people don’t realize. I’d love to do a stare-down with him, just so everyone can see how much bigger I actually am than him.”
However, he does acknowledge the potential of the Georgian knockout. Pimblett opened the door to an eventual duel between the two in the future, hinting that he could become the first opponent to end Ilia’s undefeated streak in professional MMA. “If he wants to come to lightweight, I’m here waiting. I’ll be there to welcome him. I don’t think anyone else in the division has got more of a claim to welcome him to the division than I have. I’d love to have a fair fight with him and kick him all over the gaff.” What do you think? Would you love to see the duo fight? Or will Dana White make him go one-on-one against Islam Makhachev? Let us know in the comments.
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