Ilia Topuria says he would keep featherweight title if moving up to fight Islam Makhachev

Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has voiced confidence that he would hold onto his 145-pound title if he moved up two divisions to challenge Islam Makhachev, explaining that his plan would involve returning to featherweight after such a fight rather than vacating the belt.

Topuria, known as "El Matador," carries a 17-1-0 record and sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings at just 29 years old. The Spanish fighter operates out of an orthodox stance and stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach. He is one of the most active strikers in the UFC, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute, and also contributes on the ground with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes.

Makhachev enters any superfight conversation as the reigning welterweight champion and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter — a distinction that places both men at the absolute summit of the sport. The 34-year-old Russian stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and fights out of a southpaw stance. He lands strikes at a 58 percent accuracy rate and averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a dominant two-way threat for any opponent stepping up in weight.

Why it matters

• Topuria moving up two divisions to welterweight would be an unprecedented cross-divisional superfight scenario
• A champion-versus-champion bout would carry enormous divisional implications at both 145 and 155 pounds
• The stylistic contrast is sharp — Topuria's high-volume striking against Makhachev's wrestling-heavy, multi-dimensional game
• Topuria's stated intention to return to featherweight afterward signals he views this as an opportunistic detour rather than a permanent move