Ilia Topuria has always shown great confidence, and as he prepares to move to the lightweight division, he has once again made a strong prediction about his future.
After Ilia Topuria`s knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, it became clear that the 28-year-old could become the next big star in the promotion.
‘El Matador’ continued to build his reputation by becoming the first fighter in UFC history to knock out Max Holloway, successfully defending his featherweight title at UFC 308.
Following wins against two of the biggest names in the 145lb division, Topuria surprisingly announced that he would vacate his title and move up to the lightweight division permanently.
Since then, Topuria has been actively seeking a title fight against Islam Makhachev, the current lightweight champion.
Ilia Topuria Declares Himself Lightweight Champion
Having recently mentioned that he would change his ‘El Matador’ nickname before a potential fight with Makhachev, Ilia Topuria has made a significant statement about his position in the lightweight division.
“I am the lightweight world champion,” the Spaniard stated in an interview with Mens Health Spain.
“I am sure of it, otherwise I would not move up in weight. I don’t enter any competition unless I know I am going to win… No one is at my level,” Topuria added.
Despite confidently claiming to already be the lightweight champion, it remains uncertain whether Topuria’s first fight in the lightweight division will be against the current champion.
Makhachev has indicated that he is not interested in fighting the 28-year-old until Topuria secures a win against a top contender first. Consequently, Topuria and Charles Oliveira have engaged in online exchanges, potentially setting up a fight to determine the number one contender.
Topuria`s Similar Actions Before Volkanovski Fight
This is not the first instance of Topuria making bold claims. Before his UFC 298 title fight against Alexander Volkanovski, Topuria changed his Instagram bio to ‘UFC featherweight champion’.
This became a major talking point leading up to their fight, with some UFC fans believing he was overconfident and accusing him of imitating Conor McGregor.
However, after achieving a decisive knockout victory, Topuria’s pre-fight prediction further boosted his rise to superstardom.
Benedict Kingsley