Ilia Topuria says UFC begged him not to mention welterweight move

Ilia Topuria has large plans to 1 time go a UFC three-division champion, but it looks similar that extremity volition person to wait.

After defeating Charles Oliveira successful the archetypal circular astatine UFC 317 to triumph the vacant lightweight title, the 27-year-old revealed that helium had already considered moving up a division. However, the leaders of the astir almighty MMA enactment had different ideas.

“I thought astir it,” helium said connected About Last Fight. “But successful the past speech I had with the UFC, they asked maine a favour personally, they said, ‘Please, don’t accidental aft the combat that you privation to determination up to welterweight. Promise us.’ And I said, ‘I promise,’ but I was crossing my fingers.”

While helium hasn’t ruled retired the anticipation of 1 time trying his manus astatine welterweight, for present helium remains focused connected what helium conscionable won – lightweight. “It could hap 1 day,” helium added shortly.

Pimblett draws attention

Right aft the combat with Oliveira ended, 1 of the UFC’s astir vocal fighters entered the octagon – Paddy Pimblett. The assemblage instantly realized that this combat could beryllium the adjacent large showdown.

“That’s a feline I’m going to truly bask punching successful the face,” the champion said. “I’m going to really, truly bask this fight. I cognize I tin bash immoderate I privation to him. Tell me, kid, what you privation maine to bash to you. I’ll bash immoderate I want. I don’t privation to usage words anymore.”

When Justin Gaethje’s sanction was mentioned arsenic a imaginable challenger, the champion didn’t enactment serious.

“The lone happening I get is that you don’t similar that guy,” Topuria said with a laugh. “Because I don’t cognize wherefore you’d privation to enactment him against me.”

Words similar these volition surely provoke a absorption from Justin Gaethje, who can't beryllium blessed with this benignant of absorption from a imaginable opponent.