The recent announcement of Ilia Topuria’s decision to surrender his featherweight championship due to difficulties in maintaining the 145-pound weight has left fans in a frenzy. The former champion’s focus now seems to be on the lightweight title and the prospect of a potential bout against Islam Makhachev. However, both fighters have set their sights higher, expressing ambitions to move up divisions and claim the coveted status of two-division champions. Notwithstanding their objectives, renowned UFC lightweight contender, Dustin Poirier, cautions that competing in an advanced weight division may prove to be a formidable task for both.
On one hand, Makhachev’s shift to welterweight appears to be a reasonable progression. Yet, to avoid complicating his relationship with his fellow fighter Belal Muhammad, Makhachev has abstained from this shift, subtly suggesting instead a potential leap to the middleweight division. However, Poirier’s perspective differs as he feels the 170-pound category would be a better fit for Makhachev, but the 185-pound class might be a step too far.
On the other hand, Topuria seems to view his future in the lightweight division, aiming for a 155-pound belt and an anticipated face-off against Makhachev. Despite Topuria’s impressive record, including victories over the likes of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, Poirier remains skeptical about his prospects at lightweight. In an interview with Helen Yee, Poirier expressed his thoughts, stating that although Makhachev would likely excel in the 170-pound division, competing in the 185-pound division could be pushing his limits.
For Poirier, insights concerning the talents of these fighters were gleaned from personal experience. Concerning Topuria, he mentioned, “Makhachev’s striking ability is ever-improving, revealing a subtle craftiness and elusiveness. During our bout, he kept an odd distance. The size difference might be too immense for Topuria to tackle effectively.”
Event commentator, Joe Rogan, has also entered the dialogue concerning a potential match-up between Makhachev and Topuria, nudging the former featherweight champion towards a jump to the 155-pound class. Both athletes are revered in the UFC community, and their consistent online banter has added more fuel to the fire of an expected future face-off. Now, with Topuria’s official relinquishment of his featherweight title, the likelihood of this much-anticipated bout could be greater.
On his UFC 312 Fight Companion podcast, Rogan helped stir the pot even further. He expressed a strong desire to see Ilia Topuria compete in the lightweight division, stating “Although it might sound a tad outrageous, I genuinely hope that Ilia makes the transition up to 155 pounds. It would be interesting to see Volkanovski and Diego Lopes battle it out in the 145 division and Ilia take on the 155-pound challenge. I’m indifferent to the number of times he has defended the title – that’s not a factor. The priority should be stepping up and fighting.”
Rogan was particularly emphatic about Topuria not needing to have several title defenses to his name before advancing categories. In his opinion, a probable confrontation with Makhachev should take precedence over adherence to the featherweight division.