Ilia Topuria is poised to take over this new weight category that he finds himself in as International Fight Weeks marches toward Saturday night. This weekend Topuria aims to become the new kingpin of 155 pounds as he does battle with former divisional ruler Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt in then UFC 317 main event.
Spoeaking to on-site media members for the fight week media day, the former featherweight champion fielded several quesitons about the differences he has noticed in his prior efforts fighting at 145 pounds in the context of how different fighting at lightweight is. While expounding upon that thought process to assembled reporters, Topuria said,
“Featherweight and lightweight are two different worlds. I have been able to enjoy the whole process. Even today I feel good, and when I was fighting in the featherweight division at this point, I was feeling really, really bad. I think that I made a great decision. Years ago, when Dustin Poirier went from featherweight to lightweight, he said it took him a few fights to feel like a lightweight rather than just a featherweight who stopped cutting."
"Charles said something similar, that when he went up to lightweight, he would be able to knock people out at featherweight, but at lightweight, they could take a lot more damage, and it took him a while to kind of feel like that. Do you feel like a featherweight still, or have you stayed experienced? I already fought in the lightweight division, I have one fight in the UFC in that division, so I felt actually great. My experience is going to be completely different.”
Ilia Topuria and his prior foray in the UFC lightweight ranks
Ilia Topuria referenced in the above quote that this will not be his first dance in the octagon as a lightweight with his previous UFC effort in the 155 pound ranks providing some fireworks. On March 19th, 2022, the 28-year-old threw down with
After overcoming some early adversities against Herbert, Topuria would turn out his adversary's lights sixty seven seconds into then sophomore round of the fight after landing a devastating right hook in their main card opening bout.
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