Ilia Topuria believes he would retain his featherweight championship even if he moves up to welterweight to face Islam Makhachev. The Georgian champion stated that everything would be different if he competed at welterweight, as he plans to return to the lightweight division afterward. This statement suggests Topuria is open to challenging Makhachev at a higher weight class while maintaining his status as featherweight titleholder. The proposal would represent an unusual cross-divisional matchup between two current champions at a third weight class.
Ilia Topuria has declared that he would hold onto his featherweight title even if he steps up to welterweight to take on Islam Makhachev, adding a new twist to one of the sport's most discussed potential superfights.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," currently holds the number-one spot in the pound-for-pound rankings at just 29 years old. The Spain-based Georgian carries a 17-1-0 record and is ranked second in the lightweight division, suggesting he has already been operating with an eye on moving up from featherweight. He is one of the more active strikers in the sport, averaging 4.81 significant strikes per minute, and has shown a well-rounded game with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes and a submission attempt rate of 1.1 per 15 minutes.
Makhachev, 34, is the reigning welterweight champion and sits at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings as well — making any matchup between the two a collision of the division's elite. The Russian, fighting out of Eagles MMA, owns a 28-1-0 record and brings a suffocating wrestling-based style, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 58 percent. He stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, giving him a notable size advantage over the five-foot-seven Topuria.
Topuria's position, as he stated it, is that competing at welterweight would represent a separate circumstance from his featherweight reign, and he intends to return to lightweight afterward. The framing implies he views the bout as a one-off venture rather than a permanent move up the weight scale.
Why it matters
- A cross-divisional title fight at welterweight between two reigning champions would be exceptionally rare in UFC history
- Topuria's pound-for-pound standing and Makhachev's elite grappling create a compelling striker-versus-wrestler dynamic
- The outcome would carry major implications for the lightweight and welterweight divisional pictures simultaneously
