Ilia Topuria will eventually be fighting for the lightweight title. However, he only got the opportunity after Islam Makhachev vacated his position. With Topuria slated to fight Charles Oliveira, ‘Du Bronx’ was not his first choice. Instead, Topuria wanted a superfight with the king of the lightweight division. Unfortunately, with both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev himself declining the proposal, the UFC fans will feel they missed out on a banger. However, looking back at the prospect, ‘El Matador’ recently revealed why he wanted to clash with Makhachev in the first place.
In a recent statement, Topuria stated that fighting Makhachev was the same for him as fighting Alexander Volkanovski. According to Topuria, both fighters dominated their entire division, and Topuria, trying to be the greatest, wanted to take them on. While he successfully defeated Volkanovski, the Spaniard could not do the same with Makhachev.
“It’s the same with Volk. If you beat someone and take the title from them at 145, it had to be Volk…I wanted to fight [Islam] simply because he had dominated everyone,” said Topuria.
Ilia Topuria on why he wanted to fight Islam Makhachev:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 12, 2025
“It’s the same with Volk. If you beat someone and take the title from them at 145, it had to be Volk…
I wanted to fight [Islam] simply because he had dominated everyone.”
🎥 @ESPNDeportes #UFC317pic.twitter.com/eUkswwCvJ8
Meanwhile, as Makhachev has moved up in weight, Topuria will be facing a stiff challenge from Charles Oliveira. And while ‘El Matador’ looks utterly confident, Jon Jones believes that his real test starts now.
Jon Jones Has Some Special Thoughts For Ilia Topuria
Jon Jones knows a thing or two about being a champion. Winning the UFC heavyweight championship, Jones has kept it with him for a long time. Thus, as Ilia Topuria approaches a crucial point in his career, Jones feels that his real test is now. Jones stated that winning the title is surely difficult. But what is tougher is to maintain that legacy.
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“One thing that I know from experience, being in this sport for so long, is that it’s difficult to win the belt. It’s more difficult to live the lifestyle of a UFC champion and continue being a UFC champion. The fame, the press, the money, the girls, the alcohol all of it doubles down on you, and very few people can handle it,” Jones said.
Jon Jones talks about the rise of Ilia Topuria 📈🌹
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 30, 2025
"Time will tell. One thing that I know from experience, being in this sport for so long, is that it’s difficult to win the belt. It's more difficult to live the lifestyle of a UFC champion and continue being a UFC champion. The… pic.twitter.com/PTrLWvIPRr
Thus, with Ilia Topuria standing at a viral crossroads, it remains to be seen how he will walk down the aisle in the future.
