Ilia Topuria is brimming with confidence ahead of his permanent move to the UFC lightweight division.
Topuria willingly vacated his UFC featherweight title in February, setting his sights on an immediate superfight with reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in pursuit of two-division glory.
However, Makhachev’s team remained largely dismissive of the idea of facing the undefeated Spaniard, prompting the UFC to pivot and pursue alternative paths. On Tuesday, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the Dagestani has officially relinquished the 155-pound crown as he eyes a potential clash with newly minted welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.
As a result, “El Matador” will now face former champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the UFC 317 main event, set for June 28 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during International Fight Week.
Ilia Topuria Throws Shade At Charles Oliveira And Islam Makhachev
After the announcement of his UFC 317 showdown, Ilia Topuria took to social media, confidently declaring that he would defeat Charles Oliveira and fulfill his dream of becoming a two-division champion. In his post, “El Matador” also threw a sly jab at Islam Makhachev, suggesting the Dagestani vacated the lightweight division out of fear of facing him.
“On June 28, another dream will come true. I’ll be the champion of the lightweight division. Charles, my apologies in advance… I’m just fighting for my dreams. It’s unfortunate that Makhachev ran away. 17-0,” Ilia Topuria wrote on X.
Topuria claimed the 145-pound title with a knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024. He then solidified his reign with a dominant knockout win over Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October, successfully defending his belt.
“El Matador” boasts an unbeaten 8-0 record in the UFC and an impressive 16-0 overall, with eight of those victories coming by knockout and six by submission.
