Ahead of his UFC 317 title fight against Charles Oliveira, Ilia Topuria has made a pretty bold claim about potentially becoming the lightweight champion.
Earlier this week, UFC boss Dana White made a huge shock announcement that Islam Makhachev has vacated his UFC lightweight title in pursuit of a welterweight title fight against Jack Della Maddalena.
And with that, it was also announced that Ilia Topuria will take on Charles Oliveira for the vacant title in the UFC 317 main event on International Fight Week.
‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira could make UFC history if he successfully captures the title, potentially becoming the first ever lightweight to win the title twice.
Ilia Topuria tells Islam Makhachev to ‘wait in line’
Despite the UFC fans missing out on the super fight between ‘El Matador’ and Islam Makhachev, there is still potential for it to happen somewhere down the line.
The two have continued to go back and forth with each other online, and Topuria recently called Makhachev a ‘coward’ for running from a fight against him.
And with Topuria just over a month away from fighting for the title, the Spaniard has claimed that if he does become the UFC lightweight champion, he won’t give Makhachev an immediate title shot if the Russian decides to move back down in weight.
“You know, from the beginning, he wanted to give the impression that he had some sort of decision,” Topuria began to explain during a press conference in Spain.
“He also said about a week ago, ‘My move up to welterweight isn’t going to matter because I’m not planning on vacating my title’, and I had said before that I didn’t move up to lightweight to ask anyone for anything and that I was the one in charge.
“So, who got their way, who did what they said? As always, him or me? So after this fight, when I have the belt, he can get in line, which is a long one, and someone’s eyes will be shining,” Topuria continued.
Ilia Topuria on a potential future fight against Paddy Pimblett
One lightweight contender who is likely hopeful that Topuria wins the title, is Paddy Pimblett. The soaring Brit is on a seven fight win streak with his last coming in brutal fashion against Michael Chandler at UFC 314.
‘The Baddy’ and Topuria have an ongoing feud that dates back to 2022 when they clashed at the UFC fighter hotel in London, and since then, they have continued to go back and forth online.
With Pimblett closing in on a title shot, if ‘El Matador’ becomes champion, it would put the Brit in prime position to fight him because of their feud.
“He knows where the money is now, he has to pay for the parties he throws for himself,” Topuria commented on a potential fight against Pimblett.