SEATTLE — Ilia Topuria seemed poised to join the ranks of legendary UFC featherweight champions after impressive victories over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in 2024. However, UFC CEO Dana White recently announced that Topuria has vacated his title, paving the way for Volkanovski and top contender Diego Lopes to vie for the championship at UFC 314 in Miami, Florida on April 12.
At 28 years old, Topuria is now set to challenge Uncrowned’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter Islam Makhachev in the highly competitive lightweight division. While no official opponent has been confirmed yet, White mentioned that there are several possibilities for Topuria’s next fight.
Despite his dominance in the featherweight division since his MMA debut in 2015, Topuria’s move to lightweight is not unprecedented. In 2022, he recorded a first-round knockout in his lightweight debut before returning to featherweight. Topuria even competed at bantamweight when he captured the title in Cage Warriors.
White expressed his openness to fighters pursuing two-division champion status, as long as they remain active in both weight classes. He acknowledged Topuria’s decision to move up to lightweight, citing his impressive victories and the toll of cutting weight as reasons for the change.
While Makhachev aims to become a two-division champion as well, his next lightweight title defense at UFC 315 will mark his fifth successful defense, further solidifying his place in UFC history.