Ilia Topuria is oozing confidence ahead of his high-voltage clash with Charles Oliveira. With Islam Makhachev vacating the lightweight belt, it will now be a fight against ‘El Matador’ and ‘Du Bronx’. And while Topuria feels certain about his victory, he has asked the former champion to wait in line!
In a recent interaction, Topuria mentioned Makhachev wanting to fight him next. To this, he replied that it will not be an easy affair. If Makhachev really does want to get his belt back, he will have to wait in the queue. And as per the Spaniard, it will be a long queue. Surely, looking at the sheer amount of talents in the lightweight division, there are indeed a list of fighters waiting to be given a shot at the gold.
“After this fight when I have the belt, he can get in line, which is a long one,” said Topuria.
Ilia Topuria says Islam Makhachev has to 'get in line' if he wants to fight him after he wins the lightweight title 😬
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 18, 2025
"After this fight when I have the belt, he can get in line, which is a long one."
🎥 @KOlmeneroMMA #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/gatm0ZziKk
Now, while the statement does look like a stern one, the reality is quite different. With Makhachev now moving up to the welterweight division, he will be concentrating on winning the title from Jack Della Maddalena.
Next up, he will look to defend it and establish his reign of dominance in the welterweight division. Thus, Makhachev coming down to the lightweight division immediately seems like a bit of a stretch at the moment. Meanwhile, echoing Topuria’s words, Ali Abdelaziz labeled Oliveira as a weak opponent.
Ali Abdelaziz Terms Charles Oliveira As ‘Not A Suitable’ Opponent For Ilia Topuria
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With the hype starting to build for the vacant lightweight fight, Ali Abeelaziz feels things are a bit off. Opining on the same, Abdelaziz stated how he feels Charles Oliveira might not be a good fight against ‘El Matador.’ While Oliveira was a past champion, his recent form has been something that is making Abdelaziz have second thoughts. Instead, he would have preferred either Justin Gaethje or Arman Tsarukyan for the lightweight title contender.
“Charles Oliveira is 2-2 in his last 4 fights.Justin Gaethje is 3-1 in his last 4 fights. Gaethje gave up his title shot, stepped in during International Fight Week against Max Holloway, and KO’d Dustin Poirier,” said Abdelaziz.
👀🏆Ali Abdelaziz says Oliveira is not the toughest fight for Ilia, and that Gaethje and Arman are more deserving of a title shot.
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 16, 2025
"Charles Oliveira is 2-2 in his last 4 fights. Justin Gaethje is 3-1 in his last 4 fights. Gaethje gave up his title shot, stepped in during… pic.twitter.com/cUD66GyAVf
Thus, with a lot of noise going on, it now remains to be seen how things pan out in the future.
Also Read: Khamzat Chimaev Defends Ilia Topuria, Hailing Him For Earning Everything In The Sport
