The first numbered event of the year did not leave anyone indifferent. UFC 311 has left the same champions as a result, since the bantamweight title was at stake and Merab Dvalishbili successfully defended his belt against Umar Nurmagomedov, while Islam Makhachev did the same with the lightweight title against Renato Moicano, a improvised challenger after Arman Tsarukyan’s injury. But, without a doubt, this evening has served to move the chips of the contenders. And that is where the interests of the Spanish-Georgian champion, Ilia Topuria, come in.
The event held in Inglewood (Los Angeles) was close to exploding into the air, after the fall of the main fight by Tsarukyanwho did not arrive at the official weigh-in after an alleged back injury. Moicano, who was on the card and was going to face Beneil Dariush, got an opportunity, which Makhachev took care of with a submission in the first round. After the event, the president and CEO of the UFC, Dana White, assured that Tsarukyan would no longer be the challenger again when he recovers, but that he has to fight, at least, one more time.
This forceful statement from the boss of the UFC has served to put Topuria in a firmer position to press and obtain that opportunity to move up a division for a second belt, in this case the lightweight one. And El Matador, who always knows what he is doing, used his social networks after the stellar fight to once again draw the attention of the pound-for-pound number 1 of the American company. «Islam, if I want, I can subdue you. If I want, I can knock you out. I’ll make it look easy. See you soon”Topuria wrote in ‘X’.
Islam, if I want to, I can finish you.if I want to, I can knock you out. I’ll make it look easy. I know you soon
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) January 19, 2025
The Hispanic-Georgian champion continues to press for what would be one of the great fights of today, a clash between the featherweight and lightweight monarch would serve so that Topuria could continue climbing in popularity and try to create an even more historic legacy. Although the UFC’s initial plans are for El Matador to defend, once again, his belt at UFC 314 in Miami against Alexander Volkanovski, the pending negotiation on the part of his team could open other new and hypothetical scenarios such as Topuria looking for an opportunity previous against Charles Oliveira or Arman Tsarukyan himself, with the creation of an interim title, in case Makhachev decided to move up to welterweight to try for the double crown in turn. They are just speculations. The pending conversations between directors and managers will clarify the future.
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