Former UFC featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria is not in favor of Yair Rodriguez`s recent plea for a championship opportunity.
Topuria`s next fight and his return to the UFC`s lightweight division later this year remain unclear. While there was initial speculation that he might immediately challenge UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, that fight is becoming less likely as Makhachev and his team seem hesitant to grant Topuria the next title shot.
After experiencing several tough weight cuts to the 145 lb limit, notably before his fight with Max Holloway at UFC 308, Topuria decided to vacate his featherweight title and move permanently to lightweight. Despite leaving the division, Topuria continues to observe the top featherweight contenders who are vying for Alexander Volkanovski`s belt.
Following Topuria`s departure, the UFC featherweight division still features significant talent at the top, including Movsar Evloev and former title challenger Yair Rodriguez. Both Evloev and Rodriguez are being considered as potential opponents for Volkanovski`s next title defense. However, Topuria believes Rodriguez has not built a strong enough case for another shot at the title.
Ilia Topuria Dismisses Yair Rodriguez`s Featherweight Title Claim
After defeating former Bellator champion Patricio `Pitbull` at UFC 314, Rodriguez called for the next title shot, despite having lost two of his last three fights. This includes a dominant loss to Volkanovski at UFC 290.
Topuria expressed that he doesn`t find Rodriguez`s recent performances warranting consideration for the next challenge against Volkanovski.
During a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Topuria was asked about Yair Rodriguez and offered a rather unimpressed assessment of the former title challenger.
I don’t know what to tell you about Yair Rodriguez. I’m not a big fan of him. He’s the type of guy that you don’t even need to take him down, he goes to the ground himself. He’s like very spectacular the way he fights, the striking, the kicks he throws and all that, but I’m not a big fan of him.
I’m a fan of Volk (Volkanovski) and Max Holloway. Actually, they were the smartest guys that I ever faced inside the octagon. I felt that they were smart. They had that fight IQ. They know how to fight.
Rodriguez and Topuria share a history of animosity. Prior to a recent fight at UFC Mexico City, Rodriguez stated publicly that he “doesn`t f—— like” the then-featherweight champion Topuria.
Rodriguez`s comments were reportedly in response to Topuria appearing disinterested in facing some of the top featherweights in the division. Before Topuria`s single featherweight title defense against Max Holloway, he had dismissed facing the division`s leading contenders, which ultimately contributed to his move up to the lightweight division.
Lightweight Contender Questions Ilia Topuria`s Chances Against Islam Makhachev
While Topuria voiced his skepticism regarding Rodriguez, a prominent lightweight contender questioned Topuria`s potential success against Makhachev in his divisional debut. Mateusz Gamrot pointed to Topuria`s relatively small stature as a significant factor that he believes would make a fight against Makhachev challenging later this year.
Conversely to Topuria`s perspective, lightweight fighter Dan Hooker believes Rodriguez deserves the next title opportunity over Evloev based on his performance at UFC 314. Movsar Evloev has not competed since his victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310 in December.
Another possible opponent for Topuria`s return to lightweight is his longtime rival Paddy Pimblett, who also secured a win at UFC 314. Topuria and Pimblett have maintained a contentious relationship for years, including an altercation that occurred at UFC London in 2022.