Ilia Topuria wants to fight Islam Makhachev by hell or high water. Topuria and Makhachev recently vacated the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles, respectively, to pursue belts in different weight classes. The distance between them won’t stop Topuria’s chase.
Topuria and former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira fight for the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 317. The announcement caused a mixture of enthusiasm and disappointment. It’s a great headliner for UFC International Fight Week on June 28, but it meant we wouldn’t see Makhachev vs. Topuria. Makhachev’s planned move to welterweight has not dissuaded Topuria’s desire to beat who many deem to be the best pound-for-pound fighter today.
“If Islam becomes the welterweight world champion, for sure I’m going to push for that shot also,” Topuria said at a pre-fight press conference.
“If he wins the title, and I win the title in the lightweight division, maybe I move up or he comes down to the lightweight division and we have the fight that everyone wants to see.”
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Topuria (16-0) was keen to fight Makhachev (27-1) for the lightweight title, but welcomes the opportunity to make a statement against Oliveira. Though Makhachev remains his top target, he won’t wait around for the former lightweight champ.
“I wanted to face him because he was the guy who was dominating everyone in that weight division,” Topuria said. “But at the end of the day, I can’t control what they do.
“The only thing I can control is what I do, so I wanted to move up, I wanted to fight for a title, and this is what I’m doing. He decided to move up also, so I can’t do anything else, and go and fight whoever wants to fight me.”
