Ilia Topuria Called Delusional For Moving Up To Lightweight
MMA coach Din Thomas says Ilia Topuria’s move up to lightweight came too soon after the featherweight champion’s decision to vacate his belt.
Topuria won the featherweight title after stopping Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. He gave Volk the first stoppage loss of his career in his biggest win. He made one defense of the belt by stopping Max Holloway at UFC 308. Topuria could have stayed at the weight class and rematched Volk or faced other leading contenders such as Diego Lopes. But his desire to become a two-weight champion saw him make the move to lightweight and target a bout with Islam Makhachev. That has left Volkanovski and Lopes to fight for the vacant belt at UFC 314. Thomas felt the step up in weight came too soon.
Thomas Reacts
“It’s wild to me that he’s giving this up now. There’s no way a guy gives up pay-per-view points and his status as UFC champion. This soon, for no apparent reason, and no real reason other than he can’t make the weight. I don’t necessarily buy that. He’s a young guy. It may be uncomfortable for him to make the weight. But I don’t necessarily believe that he can’t make the weight.
“But if he wants to go up? Let him go up, but it comes from a place of just, that Jon Jones level of confidence, and maybe a bit of delusion that you have to have to be a good fighter. But to think that you are just going to give up the belt, and ‘No problem, I’ll just go get it at lightweight,’ is such a wild way, such a crazy, delusional way of thinking,” Thomas said
What’s Next?
Nevertheless, it may be a gamble worth taking. Topuria knows that if he secures a belt in a second weight class, he will join some elite company. Conor McGregor, Jon Jones and Alex Pereira are just some of the names who have held titles in two weight classes. He would also eclipse what Islam has achieved, given he has only a title. Makhachev is considered one of the best P4P fighters in the world, as Topuria knows a victory over him would solidify his own legacy.
Tuporia is also a rising star in Spain and Georgia. He will have been boosted by the accomplishments of Merab Dvalishvili, who defeated Sean O’Malley last year to become the UFC Bantamweight Champion. Merab is from Georgia, while Ilia’s parents are Georgian. Mehrab followed up that victory by defeating Umar Nurmagomedov to give the latter the first defeat of his career. But there is also a danger that he would suffer his first UFC defeat, as he would be facing elite-level competition in the form of Islam. But the risk may be worth taking, putting the pressure on Topuria to perform. He can choose to remain undefeated or put that UFC resume to the test by facing the best.
Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.
