Ilia Topuria has revealed his ambition to move up to welterweight and challenge Islam Makhachev following his upcoming bout with Justin Gaethje at The White House. Topuria stated he would welcome the opportunity if the UFC chooses to grant it after that fight.
Ilia Topuria has set his sights beyond the lightweight division, publicly stating his intention to pursue a welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev once he has dealt with Justin Gaethje at The White House.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," enters the Gaethje fight ranked second at lightweight and first in the pound-for-pound standings with a 17-1-0 record. The 29-year-old Spanish fighter stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and fights out of the orthodox stance. He produces an impressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute and also contributes on the ground with 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a threat in multiple phases of a fight.
Standing across from him will be Justin Gaethje, the lightweight champion carrying a 28-5-0 record. "The Highlight" is one of the most relentless volume strikers in the sport, averaging 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. The 37-year-old American from Genesis Training Center stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach and has built his career almost entirely on striking, averaging just 0.33 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Should Topuria get past Gaethje, his stated ambition is to climb to welterweight and challenge Islam Makhachev, who currently holds the welterweight title and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a 28-1-0 record. The 34-year-old Russian southpaw from Eagles MMA stands five-foot-ten and brings a complete game, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 2.63 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent clip. Topuria indicated he would welcome the opportunity if the UFC chooses to make it available after the Gaethje bout.
Why it matters
- A win over Gaethje would give Topuria a claim to the lightweight title, strengthening any cross-divisional argument
- Makhachev defending at welterweight against a pound-for-pound number one would carry enormous divisional stakes
- The stylistic contrast is sharp: Topuria's high-volume striking meets Makhachev's elite grappling and submission threat
