Alexander Volkanovski is extending his appreciation towards Ilia Topuria. Having lost his title via a vicious knockout, the duo has significant rivalry among the two. Trying to regain his status as a champion again, Volkanovski wanted to have a rematch with ‘El Matador.’ However, before he could get the opportunity to do so, Topuria vacated his belt and moved up to lightweight.
Now, while this move meant ‘Volk’ will not be able to get his revenge, the former champion is admiring Topuria. In his recent UFC 314 presser, Volkanovski stated that he was proud to see Topuria not trying to hold down the division.
“I was pretty surprised with him vacating… I knew he wanted to chase the lightweight title, to move up. I heard him saying that, but I didn’t think he would give up the belt that easy. I thought he would try and hold it. That’s why you’ve got to have respect for that, for him to not want to hold up a division,” said Volkanovski.
Surely, this is a moment to cherish for Ilia Topuria. After getting such compliments from his opponent, he goes on to show just how much of an impact Topuria has had on the UFC. Surprisingly, when asked about his decision to move up to lightweight, Topuria cited an identical reasoning.
Ilia Topuria Breaks Silence About His Lightweight Move
Most of the fight fans waited eagerly to see the rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria. However, in a shocking statement, Dana White announced that Topuria had vacated his featherweight title. With Diego Lopes coming in as Volkanovski’s opponent, speculations went wild. Thankfully, after a lot of deliberation, ‘El Matador’ decided to break his silence.
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“I know I’m not going to cut weight right now, and I don’t want to hold down an entire division. There are guys who are preparing every day, who are fighting, just like me, for their dreams… And keeping the title would be very selfish of me. Besides, I’m the world champion, whether I vacate the title or not. I don’t need a belt to feel worthy,” Topuria told MensHealthXP.
Ilia Topuria on why he decided to vacate his featherweight title:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 24, 2025
"I know I'm not going to cut weight right now, and I don't want to hold down an entire division.
There are guys who are preparing every day, who are fighting, just like me, for their dreams… And keeping the… pic.twitter.com/oK2vziN6Me
Surely, while Ilia Topuria is getting all the praise for his approach, he does need to prove himself in the lightweight division. As of now, ‘El Matador’ will, in all probability, be facing off against Islam Makhachev.
Thus, with a tough road ahead, it remains to be seen what happens next.
Also Read: Ilia Topuria Drops “El Matador” And Unveils A Bold New Nickname For His Lightweight Move
