Athletes
Ilia Topuria | The Shackles Are Off
After Conquering The World At 145 Pounds, Ilia Topuria Has Moved Up To Challenge For The Undisputed Lightweight Title, And Says That We're About To See Him At His Very Best
Ilia Topuria knows his body well, and if his pre-fight assessment proves accurate, get ready for something special when he returns to the Octagon at UFC 317.
The former undisputed featherweight champion surprised the MMA world when he decided to vacate the 145-pound title to move up to lightweight in a quest for two-belt glory. When the move was confirmed, some wondered whether Topuria – an elite featherweight – would be able to compete against taller, stronger fighters in the weight class above.
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Topuria, however, sees things very differently.
"This is the first time that I actually feel like I'm 100 percent, because in the past, I always had to cut the weight," he explained during an exclusive interview with UFC.com.
"I always had to suffer mentally (and) physically. This time, I have been able to enjoy the whole process. I feel like I'm at 100 percent. My power is on point. My stamina is on point. Everything is on point. So I feel very, very powerful at this weight class. Of course, the guys are bigger, but I'm bigger also, and I have more power. Everything I have, it's more in this weight class. Actually, I belong to this weight class naturally."
Given his recent performances at featherweight, that's quite a statement.
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Topuria surged to the top of the 145-pound division and knocked out long-reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski to capture the undisputed featherweight title at UFC 298. Then, eight months later, he faced Max Holloway in his first title defense, and in a stunning display, became the first fighter to knock out "Blessed" as he retained his title in emphatic fashion.
For Topuria to suggest that those wins came with him partially compromised due to the weight cut only makes those wins more impressive. And it makes you wonder just what he might be able to achieve if 155 pounds really is his best weight class.
At UFC 317, Topuria will challenge for the vacant undisputed lightweight title when he takes on former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira at T-Mobile Arena. It's a big fight for UFC International Fight Week, and while some fighters may feel the additional pressure of moving up a division, Topuria said he just feels more comfortable.
"It's so much easier, to be honest," he admitted.
"I have been able to enjoy the full training camp, so I'm very happy. I can say for the first time in my career, I'm able to enjoy the whole process.
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"To be honest, nothing (much) has changed. The only thing that changed is the diet. I'm able to eat a little bit more, I'm able to drink a little bit more – it's what makes the difference."
With more muscle on the frame and more fuel in the tank, Topuria is ready to deliver a statement performance against Oliveira on Saturday night. It'll be the third beloved figure he's faced in three fights, and while he admits that Volkanovski, Holloway and Oliveria have already earned legendary status, he hopes a hat trick of wins against that trio will help him attain similar status in the sport.
"Three legends," he stated.
"Once you beat legend after legend after legend, you automatically become a legend. So this is what I'm expecting."
Topuria has already given us a sneak peek of what he might look like at 155 pounds. Back in March 2022, he faced former Cage Warriors lightweight champion Jai Herbert at UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Aspinall in London, and delivered one of the knockouts of the year.
WATCH: UFC 317 Embedded | Episode 1
Now he's back at lightweight, and "El Matador" has a warning for anyone at 155 pounds who thinks that he'll be at a physical disadvantage at his new weight class.
"They all think that they are going to have some advantage with me in the Octagon with that (extra) five or 10 pounds," he said.
"Listen, they are going to feel what I'm talking about right now. They are going to feel something that they never felt with any other opponents they had in the past."
Ilia Topuria Sit-Down Interview | UFC 317
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Ilia Topuria Sit-Down Interview | UFC 317
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In addition to his improved power and strength at the weight class, Topuria brings a skill set to the Octagon that he says is at the cutting edge of MMA in 2025.
"I'm something different," he stated.
"I always said I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts. What does that mean? That means that if you want to become the best fighter in the world, you have to be a complete fighter. You have to be good in your striking game, with your wrestling and with your ground game.
"If we go to the past and we look at the fighters and the world champions, you could become a world champion with only two sports. For example, with striking or wrestling, and without a ground game, you could become a world champion. But, right now, at the point that the sport is (at today), it's basically impossible. You have to be good everywhere. And I'm that kind of guy that brings that new style to the game."
And on the topic of styles, Topuria said that Oliveira's approach is tailor-made for him, and predicted that the former lightweight champion's aggression will prove to be his downfall on fight night when he walks into Topuria's striking range.
"To be honest, his style is perfect for me, because I don't need to close the distance with him – he walks forward from the first second," he suggested.
"Those kinds of styles are much easier for me, because most of the time I have to close the distance with my opponents.
"If you watch my fights against (Alexander) Volkanovski or Max Holloway, I had to walk forward all the time and close the distance, which I don't have to deal with against Charles, because he's going to walk forward and we're gonna find each other in the center of the Octagon from the first second. So it's going to be much easier for me, because he's not going to be able to see me coming. I'm very fast, very powerful for him.
"From the first second, he's going to feel the speed and the power. He's going to start to look for the takedowns and for the ground game. But I think that it's going to be very, very quick, because I'm going to finish him in the in the first two or three minutes.
UFC 317 COUNTDOWN: Topuria vs Oliveira | Pantjoa vs Kara-France | Full Episode
"He has done amazing things in the sport. I respect him as a sportsman. As a human being, he seems to be a nice guy. But we are going to fight. And when we are competing with each other, I go all in. Just be careful!"
Topuria's rise has been a meteoric one and, after knocking out two of the greatest featherweights of all time, his confidence is sky high heading into his lightweight title tilt against Oliveira.
"My dream, since I was a kid, was to become a world champion, which I was able to achieve when I became the featherweight world champion. Now, after I won that world title, I defended (it). I was like, 'I need something new.' I moved up. Now I will become a two-time world champion in the featherweight, then the lightweight division."
And "El Matador" had no hesitation as he delivered his pre-fight prediction with a smile.
"Jab, jab, one-two, and it's over!"
UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 28, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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