Ilia Topuria has stated that he believes he would retain his lightweight title even if he moved up to welterweight to fight Islam Makhachev. Topuria suggested that after such a welterweight bout, he would return to the lightweight division. This statement indicates Topuria's confidence in his ability to compete across weight classes while maintaining his championship. The comment was made in the context of speculation about potential superfights and cross-divisional matchups.
Ilia Topuria has publicly declared his belief that he would retain a lightweight title even if he moved up two weight classes to challenge Islam Makhachev, adding further fuel to speculation around one of MMA's most discussed potential superfights.
Topuria, 29, currently sits at number two in the lightweight division and holds the number one spot in the pound-for-pound rankings, carrying a 17-1-0 record under the banner of Climent Club. The Spaniard known as El Matador is one of the sport's most prolific finishers, averaging 4.81 significant strikes landed per minute with a 48 percent striking accuracy. He suggested that following any bout with Makhachev at welterweight, he would return to lightweight to continue his campaign there.
Makhachev, 34, enters this conversation as the reigning welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, holding a 28-1-0 record and fighting out of Russia under Eagles MMA. The Dagestani grappler is a dominant force on the mat, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He fights out of a southpaw stance and stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, giving him a notable size advantage over the five-foot-seven Topuria.
Why it matters
- Topuria moving to welterweight would represent a two-division climb, a rare undertaking in the sport
- Makhachev holds the pound-for-pound crown Topuria currently sits directly behind, making this a rare clash of the top two fighters in the world
- The stylistic contrast is stark: Makhachev's elite grappling against Topuria's high-volume striking output could produce a genuinely compelling crossroads bout
- Any resolution would have significant ripple effects across both the lightweight and welterweight divisional landscapes
