- Ilia Topuria has risen through the UFC ranks quickly, making his debut in October 2020.
- The Georgian-Spanish fighter won the UFC featherweight title in February 2024, and then the lightweight belt in June 2025 to become the tenth two-division champion.
- Topuria now wants to move up to welterweight and become the first three-division champion, and you can find odds for the chances of that, along with his next opponent.
There are few fighters who have risen through the UFC ranks quicker than Ilia Topuria. He made his debut in October 2020. By July 2025, he is now a two-division champion after vacating the featherweight title, to capture the lightweight belt.
Topuria is the tenth two-division champion in the UFC. But now he’s setting his sights on history as he wants to become the first three-division champ in the history of the company.
Topuria Says Makhachev is Ducking Him, and Pimblett Is an Easy Fight
Topuria made an appearance on the TMZ Sports Show and made a slew of declarations against his rivals.
The Georgian-Spanish fighter was the featherweight champion, defeating Alexander Volkanovski in February 2024 to win the belt, and another legend in Max Holloway in October 2024. Topuria then took on former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira in June 2025 for the vacant 155-pound title. Islam Makhachev held the belt for almost three years, but vacated it to move up to welterweight to take on champion Jack Della Maddalena.
Topuria predicted a first-round stoppage of Oliveira, and he made that happen with a knockout at UFC 317. The 28-year-old was then joined in the cage by Paddy Pimblett, in a move that UFC president Dana White wasn’t happy about.
Arman Tsarukyan is the #1 contender for the lightweight title, but selling a Topuria-Pimblett fight would be simple for him, as they genuinely don’t like each other. But Topuria said in his interview:
“All the fans around the world, I think that they want to see that fight. And at the same time, I have to be honest, I think it's one of the easiest fights that I could have in the lightweight division.”
As for Mahkachev, Topuria exclaimed:
"With me coming up, he was like, I don't have to take this risk. I'm going to move up to the 170. I'm going to try to get another belt. And that's all because he knows that I'm dangerous. He knows that I'm going to put him to sleep. Even Khabib (Nurmagomedov, Makhachev's cousin and trainer). The only reason they don't want me to fight against him, because they know that I'm going to beat him."
Can Topuria Win the Welterweight Belt, and Who Will Be His Next Opponent?
Those are strong words from Topuria, but you can find props at UFC betting sites on whether he’ll be a three-division champion by the end of 2025. You can find a “Yes” at +1400 at BetUS, while Bovada has odds for his next opponent. Tsarukyan is the slight favorite at +160 in front of Pimblett at +190. Justin Gaethje is next at +325, and Makhachev sits at +400.
In my opinion, it would be more likely that Topuria and Makhachev would fight at 155 points, and not 170 pounds. It’s tough to go up two weight classes, let alone three. Conor McGregor has fought at welterweight after claiming the featherweight and lightweight belts. However, he is 1-1 against Nate Diaz at 170 pounds, and McGregor beat an over-the-hill Donald Cerrone at that weight. He wasn’t fighting for a belt.
Furthermore, don’t discount Della Maddalena against Makhachev. The Australian is a legitimate welterweight who is used to fighting at that size. Makhachev is being touted as a considerable favorite when the two meet sometime in 2025. But it will not be a walk in the park for the Dagestani champion.
Still, that’s not going to stop Topuria from talking. If he makes 1-2 lightweight title defenses, and Makhachev manages to win the welterweight belt, the shouts for a fight between the two will be loud!
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