Don’t expect UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev to go back down to lightweight for Ilia Topuria.
Makhachev and Topuria never crossed paths after they both opted to relinquish their titles for a move up a division. Topuria defended his featherweight title once against Max Holloway, then knocked out Charles Oliveira to capture the vacant lightweight belt that Makhachev left behind. Makhachev claimed the welterweight belt by dominating Jack Della Maddalena this past November.
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Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is still interested in going after Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC), but Makhachev is only willing to entertain that fight in his new home.
“For what? I had the belt at lightweight. No one beat me there,” Makhachev said in a translated interview with Match TV (h/t Championship Rounds) “I just left the belt and moved up. For what? for a belt? That’s not interesting to me. If he wants to move up, then welcome. He can because he has nothing to lose by moving up. If he loses, he goes back down to lightweight, and that’s it. He’ll defend his belt there.
“I’ve already been the lightweight champion, and I’m definitely not going back down. And for him, I’ll repeat: He doesn’t lose anything by moving up. For me, it wouldn’t make sense to call out someone from a lower weight who just became champion. He hasn’t proven anything in lightweight yet. He’s got a lot of work to do there. Arman Tsarukyan is calling him out everyday, asking to fight.”
Topuria has currently stepped away to take personal time off after ongoing legal issues with his ex-wife. In the meantime, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will battle for the interim lightweight belt in the UFC 324 main event Jan. 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ilia Topuria fight at lightweight? ‘For what?’ says Islam Makhachev
