Latest news with #featherweight
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pimblett one fight from title shot
Pimblett (left) and Topuria are both unbeaten in the UFC [Getty Images] Britain's Paddy Pimblett is "one fight away" from securing a title shot, says former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. Pimblett is eighth in the UFC's lightweight rankings after securing the biggest win of his career with a dominant win over Michael Chandler in April. Advertisement Last month 30-year-old Pimblett said he was targeting a fight next against Topuria or Justin Gaethje in Abu Dhabi in October. Topuria, who faces Brazil's Charles Oliveira for the lightweight belt at UFC 317 in Las Vegas on Saturday, is open to fighting Pimblett if he beats someone else first. "I see that fight happening. He has to be ready because he doesn't make those kind of decisions. It's me who decides when, where and against who," Topuria told BBC Sport. "The only thing I can tell him is 'be ready'. Whenever you get the call you show up, you do your thing, you get your money, you go back home. Advertisement "He's one fight away from the title shot. So if he gets that win of course we are going to have that fight and I'm gonna whoop his ass." Topuria has history with Pimblett after the pair clashed at a hotel before UFC London in 2022. With the pair in different weight divisions, it looked like a fight may never materialise, but that changed when Topuria vacated his featherweight title this year to move up to lightweight. 'I had to almost kill myself to make 145lb' Topuria, 28, has won the first 16 fights of his career and had a remarkable 2024, knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title last February. Advertisement Victory meant Topuria, who holds Georgian citizenship, became Spain's first UFC champion, before he was granted Spanish citizenship by President Pedro Sanchez. Topuria knocked out another former champion in Max Holloway in October, before vacating the belt in April to move up to lightweight. Despite his success at featherweight, Topuria says the decision to move up was based on the toll the division was having on his physical health. "I really belong to this this weight class. I had to almost kill myself to make the 145lb (10st 3lb) division," said Topuria. "I feel much comfortable. I feel even more powerful in this weight division. Advertisement "And this is actually the first time I have been able to enjoy the whole process like the training - even the weight cut - because it's much much easier. "From one to 10, at featherweight when I was fighting at this point I was feeling at five. And now I feel at nine." The title opportunity arose after it was announced champion Islam Makhachev would be vacating his belt to move up to welterweight. Former champion Oliveira is second in the UFC lightweight rankings and holds a number of records in the promotion, including most finishes with 20 and most submissions with 16. Like Volkanovski and Holloway, 35-year-old Oliveira is one of the most popular fighters on the roster, meaning Topuria may find himself in the familiar position of fans rooting against him. Advertisement "I can't feel like the bad guy because this is nothing personal. I don't have anything personal against them," said Topuria. "This is sport. We compete and I hope that the best wins. I truly believe that I'm the best." More MMA from the BBC
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC 317: The love/hate thing with Ilia Topuria is only natural — after all, he's killing off your idols
One of the unfortunate tasks of a young star in the fight game is to bring ruin to all of yesterday's heroes. The boos raining down on Ilia Topuria at Thursday's UFC 317 pre-fight press conference had less to do with his Spanish-Georgian roots than the grim reality that he's out here chopping down the most celebrated fighters in his vicinity. There was Alexander Volkanovski, the lovable king of featherweight, who'd never lost in the weight class. That's who Topuria took his first UFC title from. Next was Max Holloway, the fast-burning BMF. I mean, what can you even say to that one? It is what it is. Advertisement And now Charles Oliveira, a UFC record-holder who has won the hearts of fans through sustained perseverance and unsung improbability. Oliveira was presented an award at the UFC Hall of Fame on Thursday night for his charitable works in Sao Paolo. A role model. Now he's reduced to being the next victim. Volkanovski, Holloway, Charlie — through these people we could dream. And now Topuria is out here as a kind of serial legend killer, with more finishes than lacquer, barely emoting as he tamps them into the soft earth. Worse, he can be seen after the carnage biting on the stems of roses like he's Pepé Le Pew. Great. A Lothario in our midst, too? That's all we need. Bring your wife around him at your own peril. Every time he blows a kiss, lawyers get involved. Does it help that it's nothing personal when he fells one of these icons? Advertisement It does not. His indifference to what he's doing is … unnatural. Mercenary vibes. For anyone who sees it as a sign of respect, let me at least introduce you to the idea that it might just be an extra layer of condescension. He says he wants to blow up the fight world and get out by 30 years old. That's just brazen madness. Sadistic. Audacious. Of course, all these things taken together are what makes him a superstar at a time when the UFC could really use one. Jon Jones just fled the one scene that fight fans care most about, which is the heavyweight scene. He's now retired and gloating about it. Conor McGregor is almost a bad word these days. You say his name and people think it sounds ignorant to use such language. But Topuria? He is still very much in the process of unlocking the imagination. He's still a shared experience for fight fans, who can huddle up around some genuine real-time awe. There are unclear destinations out there for him. Far-off possibilities. The Santiago Bernabeu, for instance. A bullring. That fight with Islam Makhachev, who made the jump to lightweight just as Topuria came up to 155 pounds for this chance at a second title. That's still possible. Maybe a jump to 170 pounds, even. Advertisement The more absurd the better. Maybe we can even squash the beef he formed with Paddy Pimblett. That fight is growing at an alarming rate. Absurd, absurd … God, I hope it happens. And those who were cheering Topuria at the presser understand the adventure that awaits if he gets by Oliveira. The 'bigness' of what's out there. You couldn't hear it, but UFC CEO Dana White was cheering him too, yelling in his mind 'you better not blow this!' As the UFC negotiates its new broadcast rights deal(s), guys like Topuria help drive prices. Who else is out there who can break us from the doldrums? Who can recapture some of the magic that we know can exist, because we've seen such perfect storms before? Will Ilia Topuria's brilliance translate to the lightweight division? (Chris Unger via Getty Images) Topuria will hear his share of boos on Saturday night. Some people aren't super keen on change, and especially hostile takeovers. Those 'Charles marks' who bleach their hair in solidarity have feelings invested, and they're hoping against hope that "Do Bronx" takes a stand on Saturday night. Vegas doesn't think he will. BetMGM sportsbook has Oliveira hovering in the range of a 3-to-1 underdog. Advertisement But it's based on the respect for Topuria more than anything else. He's 28 years old, and he's knocking down the gold standards. He actually wants to fight Arman Tsarukyan, the back-up fighter for Saturday night, making him the first of his kind. He wants Makhachev. He craves this sport's bluest bloods. And he's so far made the hard thing he's doing look stupidly easy. Think about it. Part of the reason that people are debating whether Topuria's current three-fight run might become the steepest, greatest three-fight run on record is because they have such respect for those conquests. Volk washed? After he lost to Topuria he went out and schooled Diego Lopes to win back the featherweight belt. Holloway washed? We'll find out next month when he fights fellow UFC icon Dustin Poirier at UFC 318. And now Charles Oliveira, who still looks exactly like Charles Oliveira. To watch the legends get taken out one by one, it stings. Volkanovski, Holloway, Oliveira. These are the sacrifices. Yet what is a superstar if he doesn't consume the legacies of what stood before him in declaring his own era? You can boo him all you want, but it plays right into something Topuria already knows. And that is this: While a good champion knows how to control his emotions in the ring, a great champion knows how to control the emotions of everyone outside of it.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
UFC 317: Ilia Topuria says he'll ‘never' fight Alex Volkanovski again
Ilia Topuria has emphatically shut the door on a potential rematch with Alex Volkanovski, suggesting the Aussie's dreams of becoming a multi-division champ are over. Volkanovski lost his featherweight belt to Topuria in February last year, with a knockout punch leaving the Aussie's career on the ropes following another KO loss to Islam Makhachev. Topuria (16-0) defended his featherweight title against Max Holloway before vacating the title to move up to lightweight. He is aiming to become a two-division champion when he takes on Charles Oliveira in a blockbuster main event this weekend at UFC 317 in Las Vegas. 'It's another dream come true, you know, Topuria told 'I always had the dream to become a world champion, but now I have the opportunity to become two-weight world champion. And the first one to be undefeated. 'So I felt very excited and very grateful for having this opportunity and of course it means a lot for me and for my family.' Australia's Volkanovski, 36, is in the twilight of his career but showed he is still a class fighter, defeating Diego Lopes to reclaim his featherweight title. But Volk's dreams of becoming lightweight champion appear over, with the Aussie set to finish his UFC career with a couple of featherweight title defences. Topuria shook his head when asked if he would fight Volkanovski again in a rematch. 'Never (again), all with Volk is done,' he said. 'First of all, because I'm not planning to go back to the featherweight division again. 'And the second thing is that I don't think that they (the UFC) are gonna allow him to move up to the lightweight division. 'OK if he does it, I don't think that he deserves the title shot directly.' Volkanovski has previously told he may only have a handful of fights left before he retires, but his next featherweight opponent is unclear — Lopes, Yair Rodriguez or undefeated Russian Movsar Evloev are potential options. With Jon Jones retired and Alex Pereira's next fight up in the air, the next great UFC blockbuster could be a bout between Topuria and Makhachev at lightweight. Makhachev has signalled his intention to move up to welterweight to fight Jack Della Maddalena for the belt after the Perth product became Australia's third UFC champion earlier this year. 'I don't know what's going to happen after this fight, to be honest,' Topuria said when asked about a potential fight with Makhachev. 'I'm willing is to stay active. So whatever the UFC wants me to do, if they want me to move up to welterweight division to face Islam, I will be OK. 'If they want to keep defending the belt of lightweight division, I will be OK also. I'm here to fight and to entertain people. 'Of course, if he (Makhachev) wants to come back (to lightweight) or the UFC wants me to move up to the welterweight division, I always have that door open, you know what I mean? 'I always wanted to fight him. Since the first day I heard his name and I decided to move up. I was like I want to face this guy. 'He decided to move up, I don't know for what reasons, but if in the future he wants to fight, I will be there.' As for this weekend against Oliveira, Topuria said: 'I see myself knocking him out in the first round. Maybe it's going to be right hand straight to his face.' 'For the first time, I could say that I really enjoyed the whole process of the training camp. I enjoyed everything. That extra pounds make a huge difference in my life. 'So, I'm very happy and very excited to show to everyone like that I really belong to this weight class. They think that I'm small, they're gonna realise on that actually I'm huge.' Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira — lightweight title bout Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France — flyweight title bout Brandon Royval vs Joshua Van — flyweight bout Beniel Dariush vs Renato Moicano — lightweight bout
Arab News
3 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Pico and Evloev set to collide in potential UFC title eliminator in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI: Aaron Pico's UFC era officially begins on July 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The American will take on undefeated contender Movsar Evloev in a five-round, must-watch featherweight showdown with serious title-shot implications, as he makes his eagerly anticipated UFC debut as part of a bumper Fight Night lineup. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The longtime MMA featherweight standout was a high-profile, free-agent UFC signing in April this year and there will be no soft entry into the franchise for him; he is diving straight into the deep end against a man whose shot at the featherweight crown is overdue in the eyes of many. Pico, 28, is clearly taking the match-up against 31-year-old Evloev, who is riding high on a nine-fight winning streak since his UFC debut in 2019, very seriously and appears exceptionally well prepared and in phenomenal shape. Evloev, meanwhile, has quietly dismantled some of the featherweight division's biggest and toughest names, including Arnold Allen, Diego Lopes, Dan Ige and, most recently, former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. Pico is known for his devastating knockout power, with 11 of his 13 career wins the result of a stoppage. Evloev is a master technician, renowned for relentless pressure and precision. While their bout is billed as a classic striker versus grinder matchup, both fighters have evolved in recent bouts, suggesting this could develop into a much more tactical battle than might be expected. A win for Pico would immediately shake up the UFC featherweight division, while a triumph for Evloev would surely secure the long-awaited title shot he deserves. With just a month to go until their showdown, the stakes could not be higher: Pico vs. Evloev is not simply a co-main event, it is a potential springboard to superstardom. As such it is one fight that simply must not be missed. The fight is part of a stacked card headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, who faces highly-rated Dutch standout Reinier de Ridder. Meanwhile, former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan aims to extend his winning streak to three, but heavy-handed foe Marcus McGhee stands in his way in their three-round clash.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Ilia Topuria's march towards a second UFC title can be defined by one word
' UFC World Champion. Undefeated 15-0,' read Ilia Topuria 's Instagram bio. He was not UFC champion; he was not 15-0. Not for another week or so. Perhaps Topuria's words aggravated fans so greatly because of the arrogance behind them; maybe they were aggravating because, not so deep down, those fans knew the featherweight's words might be more of a spoiler than a prediction. So, when Topuria backed Alexander Volkanovski up to the fence at UFC 298, a sickening, ominous feeling must have risen from the pit of many a stomach. And when the Spanish-Georgian drilled a right hook into the chin of the most dominant 145lb champion in a decade, removing the strength from Volkanovski's legs, the light from his eyes and the cognition from his mind, what was there to do but bow a head in grudging acceptance? To bow down to the new featherweight king. Topuria's second-round debilitation of Volkanovski was his first of a fan favourite and divisional great in 2024. Later in the year, he spoke similarly prophetically of what he would do to Max Holloway, and proceeded to do it. Holloway offered more resistance than Volkanovski, but a sense of inevitability flared into something more urgent when, in round three, Topuria deceived Holloway with a beautiful double-feint – a jab upstairs and left hook to the body, neither intended to land – before jettisoning a right cross into the former champion's face with a gruesome crack. Even one of MMA's great chins could not withstand the force of a blow like that, and within seconds, Topuria produced a left hook that drove Holloway to the canvas with a violent heft. With all of this in mind, it was natural for fans to fear for another beloved icon when Topuria said this month: 'I feel so powerful at 155lb. When I touch Oliveira's chin, it'll explode.' Whatever happens in the main event of UFC 317, where Topuria moves up to fight Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title, the Brazilian's chin will not literally explode. To state as much is to state the obvious. Yet such is Topuria's conviction in his sentiments, and so consistent is the 28-year-old in manifesting them, that it wouldn't be shocking if officials from the Nevada State Athletic Commission were seen hoovering up shards of Oliveira's jaw by the end of Saturday night. That is the fear of many an MMA fan as the unbeaten Topuria, who vacated the featherweight belt in February, surprisingly early into his reign, prepares to take on 'Do Bronx' in Las Vegas. However, as much as the paragraphs above insinuate a disdain for Topuria among the MMA fanbase, that would be a mischaracterisation of 'El Matador''s relationship with the fandom. Topuria is disliked by some, adored by others, but respected by most. In this way and others, his career so far has emulated that of Conor McGregor's early days in the UFC. The Irishman called his shot time and again, irking then disproving his detractors, and ultimately collecting the featherweight title with a 13-second demolition of the great Jose Aldo. Without making a defence of the belt, McGregor immediately turned his attention to the lightweight title, which he soon tore from Eddie Alvarez with one of the sport's finest clinics. Similarly, Topuria did not dwell at 145lb, recording a single title defence before deciding he did not want – or need – to keep cutting weight. While he will not follow McGregor in becoming a simultaneous two-weight champion, the Spanish-Georgian can still join a small group of two-division UFC titlists. Oliveira, meanwhile, is aiming to become a two-time champion, having held the lightweight strap from 2021 until 2022. And to write off the Brazilian here would be unwise. He is, after all, statistically the most dangerous fighter to have ever graced the Octagon, with more stoppage wins and more submissions than any other competitor. So often, those finishes have come from the jiu-jitsu specialist, 35, pressuring opponents into mistakes. He drives an astounding pace, flitting forward with front kicks, constricting opponents in clinches, and packing a surprising punch for his lanky frame when he finds the right boxing range. Yet Do Bronx also has a proclivity for getting dropped and flirting with danger. Sometimes, yes, he'll seemingly fall in a bid to lure opponents to the ground, where he is serpentine and suffocating. But the chances of simulating a knockdown against Topuria are slim. Topuria, who has limited but relevant experience at lightweight, at times exhibits effortless power; at others, he swings for the fences and splinters them. Like Oliveira, he enjoys stalking forward, so the outcome on Saturday may depend on who can impose that motion on the other. But even if Oliveira can tie up Topuria, can he launch his trademark knees and elbows before El Matador produces the kind of body hooks that have served him so well throughout his career? Truthfully, there is an air of inevitability (there's that word again) around Topuria finding the shot to put Oliveira down and out. In typically confident fashion, however, Topuria has even teased a submission of the greatest submission artist in UFC history. 'I feel sorry for Charles,' he said. 'Whatever is least painful for him, that's what I'll do, because I like him a lot.' A submission of Oliveira would be Topuria's boldest statement of all – more audacious than any verbal output, if you can believe it. Some fans and pundits wouldn't dare to entertain that result, yet it might not be as shocking as one would think. Islam Makhachev forced Oliveira to tap in 2022, as his wrestling trumped Do Bronx's jiu-jitsu after a knockdown, and Oliveira was previously submitted three times as a professional. Topuria is known as one of the UFC's sharpest boxers, but his jiu-jitsu is underrated. He has not often needed it in recent fights, but it was that strand of his skillset that drew a submission of grappling specialist Bryce Mitchell in 2022. Then there is Topuria's wrestling, which contributed to his clinic against Josh Emmett in 2023. Topuria's eclectic game brought him to featherweight gold, and now it has brought him to the cusp of lightweight glory – and to Oliveira. Maybe Oliveira can halt Topuria's frightening momentum. Most fans, however, would admit that Topuria's lightweight coronation feels like it is just one big punch away. Maybe even one slick choke. It simply feels inevitable.
