Ilia Topuria Passes On Matchup With Arman Tsarukyan: ‘He Will Not Fight For The Status Of A Contender’

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White shook up the mixed martial arts (MMA) world last week when he announced Ilia Topuria had vacated his Featherweight championship and would move up to Lightweight to chase greatness.

There are a lot of possibilities for “El Matador” now that he is in the Lightweight division. Does he get a title shot right away against Islam Makhachev? Does he fight Dustin Poirier? Does he fight the No. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan, to earn a title shot?

According to his management, Topuria is not fighting anyone not named Makhachev.

“Ilia wants a championship fight. He will not fight for the status of a contender with Tsarukyan or anyone else,” Topuria’s management told Russian media agency TASS.

Topuria has made his intentions very clear in every interview he’s done since knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308 last year (watch highlights), so these latest comments are not really a surprise, even though Makhachev and his management want Topuria to prove himself against a Lightweight before he gets a title shot.

In the end, it all comes down to whether Makhachev will move up to Welterweight or not.

If he does, Topuria will most likely fight someone for the vacant Lightweight title; if the Russian stays at 155 lbs, Topuria will more than likely get a shot at becoming a two-division champion.

Time will tell.