Topuria backtracks on relinquishing featherweight belt, but confirms plan to fight at lightweight

Ilia Topuria He is the UFC featherweight champion. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

After moving the MMA community in recent days declaring interest in moving up to lightweight (up to 70,3 kg) and citing Charles of the Bronx as a potential adversary, Ilia Topuria partially backtracked. Despite your coach points out your decision as final, the featherweight champion (up to 65,7 kg) guaranteed that he does not intend to abandon the belt in his current category.

In a social media post on Thursday night (12), Topuria guaranteed that he will not leave the belt vacant, but reiterated his interest in acting as a lightweight, indicating that he will be another to seek the status of double UFC champion.

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“I’m not going to vacate the title. The decision to move up to the next division is entirely mine. I haven’t had any conversations with the UFC yet, so everything is still to be decided. Stop celebrating, because I’m not going anywhere. I won my division and I’ll do the same in the next one,” said the Georgian-Spanish.

At 27, Ilia Topuria was one of the main candidates for the 'Fighter of the Year' award in 2024, a season in which he knocked out Alexander Volkanovsky e Max Holloway to win and defend the featherweight belt. The Georgian-Spanish, however, was outclassed by Alex Poatán at the awards ceremony.

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