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United Kingdom Dana White explains Ilia Topuria's decision to vacate UFC ...
Once the referee signals for action to begin in the main event of UFC 314, the featherweight title currently held by Ilia Topuria will officially be vacated.
UFC CEO Dana White announced a slew of big fights for upcoming cards, including massive news involving the featherweight title. Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will leave his crown behind as he moves up to the lightweight division, making way for a vacant title fight at UFC 314 between former champ Alexander Volkanovski and red-hot contender Diego Lopes.
“Topuria has felt like he’s done all he can in that division, and he feels like he’s cemented his legacy, and his body cannot make the weight anymore,” White said on Instagram Live Wednesday evening. “So Topuria will be moving up to 155 pounds and will be vacating the featherweight title. … As soon as the first punch is thrown in (Volkanovski vs. Lopes), the title is vacated.
“We will announce what Topuria’s next fight will be when we get it done.”
The undefeated Topuria will leave the featherweight title after a banner 2024 year in which he won the belt by knocking out Volkanovski at UFC 298 and then recorded his first title defense by knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308.
Topuria recently took aim at current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, stating his confidence in the result of a potential matchup.
“I really believe that I can beat the current champion, Islam,” Topuria said on the “Full Send Podcast.” “I really think that. He’s a great champion. You can’t be a world champion by chance; you have to do things great. He’s a beast. I don’t like to be a bully and fight with people that I know 100 percent that I’m going to whoop his ass, you know?
“I like to fight with people that the fans think that it’s going to be very competitive. That kind of expectation I like to create. With Islam, I’m going to have that. Doing again the rematch with people that I already fought, I don’t think that I’m going to have the same kind of expectations, you know, for the fans.”
