The coach of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has explained why his man is hoping to leave the 145-pound division behind him and pursue success elsewhere.
Topuria dropped a bombshell this week when he revealed that he intends on vacating the featherweight throne and making a permanent return to the lightweight class in 2025.
Those comments come one defense into the Spaniard’s reign, which begun with an emphatic knockout of Alexander Volkanovski this past February. He’s since repeated the feat at the expense of Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi to keep hold of the belt.
While many have been pondering a rematch with “Alexander the Great” or first-time clashes with in-form contenders like Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes, Topuria is instead looking to compete in a title eliminator against Charles Oliveira at 155 pounds.
Many have been shocked by “El Matador’s” remarks, and during a recent appearance on Submission Radio, his coach added some context behind the decision by noting that a lack of motivation from potential opposition isn’t the reason.
“I think he is — he hates that weight (cut),” Climent said. “He do it a lot of times and it’s (much) harder every time we do it. He don’t want to do this anymore, and that’s why I want to go up to the next weight class.
“His normal way is in that weight class (lightweight),” Climent continued. “Ilia fighting (featherweight), he’s young, you know? Your body is changing. When you’re 20, you have the body. When you’re 25, you have another. And when you are 30, you have another, you know? Sometimes I see Ilia at 85 kilos, you know, and he needs to be 66. We do a very big weight cut.”
While Topuria and Islam Makhachev have gone back and forth in recent months, the lightweight champ currently has business to attend to against Arman Tsarukyan before entertaining the prospect of a clash with his featherweight counterpart.
That fact has left “El Matador” targeting another top name in the division in Oliveira, who staked his claim for a shot at redemption against the UFC 311 main event winner by dominating Michael Chandler last month.
It remains to be seen whether or not Topuria really will relinquish his champ status in the new year.
