Elijah Topuria has light gold in its crosshair.
The recent UFC champion in fiftyweight surprised the world of MMA two weeks ago, when the advertising campaign announced that he would release the title of 145 pounds to go to a light division. Together with the news, there were plans to clash between the former fifty -light champion Alexander Volkanovsky and Diego Lopez for the title, now suitable in the UFC 314 in April.
After the announcement, the next step of Topuria seemed obvious: the immediate title against the ruling champion of 155-pound Islam Makhachev. But this announcement of the battle did not immediately follow others, leaving several open questions about the UFC plan for easy topory.
There would be Topuria Really First, they are forced to fight a light rival? UFC CEO Dana White mentioned the possibility when he was asked about Topuria this week. But ask Malka Kava, a representative of Topuria in managing the first round, and he will tell you that he will not see how the couple of Makhachev is not the next step.
“No one told us that we could not fight for (light) title,” Kava told Kavani on Wednesday on the “show Ariel Helvani”. “To this day, no one said:“ You are not fighting for the title. ” I will leave it there out of respect for everything else on the other side.
“I don’t know if it makes it sense for them as an increase in service, to let him fight with someone else when he is a champion. If we are honest, then this is probably the biggest battle that you can take right now outside (John) of “bones” (Jones) against (Tom) Aspinall. So I don’t know if there is another fight that is more than this fight. This is the biggest fight that you can do. ”
The 28-year-old Topuria expressed intentions ultimately to rise to lightweight as soon as he began his goal championship, after he began this performance in February 2024 by knocking out the former Max Holloway champion in the third round of his UFC 308 last October.
It was a star race for Topuria to get to an impeccable recording of 16-0. If he overthrow the fighter No. 1 in the world No. 1 in the world, Makhachev, to get his second UFC Division title, he will be on the way to become one of the largest names in the recent sports history.
“That’s what is fear for many people: what if he defeats Islam?” Kava asked. “Then you say that this is the largest star in sports at that moment, for a long, long time. I do not mean that any of these guys is not a star. I am saying that this guy will begin to reach the stratosphere to which Conor (McGregor) reached, especially if he wins. McGregor. “
Topuria previously fought in lightweight. His fourth UFC fight was a one-time, which took place in the 155-pound division in March 2022. Faced with Jay Herbert from England, Topuria withstood the early danger, and then Gerbert sprinkled with the evil knockout of the second round at the 67-second mark of this struggle.
The McGregor of Ireland is still the largest star that MMA knew, and the support of his native country helped to attract him to a superstar at the beginning of his UFC. Holding the roots in Georgia and Spain, Topuria was advertised as the most likely talent to get closer to an appeal of the McGregor type as an international MMA star.
After the fact that Topuria has already reached, Kava believes that the transcendental status is very achievable.
“I still think that he is the next guy, he is the next Conor. This is part of what he does, ”Kava said. “You find yourself in the UFC, you get into the title battle for six battles, you will kidnap, perhaps, the greatest folice weight, when you fought in fifty -lightweight. All respect for Volkanovsky, because he was a hell of a champion, and he went and fought in 155 (pounds). Right?
“The truth is that weight loss was difficult for (Topuria). When you were in this business as long as we were in it, you seem to learn about some things. The durability of the fighters, especially at the highest level, when you are talking about being a champion, you are talking about a guy who had to fight with Volkanovsky, Charles Oliveiras, world, you say that you are talking about what you are talking about what you are talking about what you are ending all over the world. The weight, what you mainly do is to shoot years.
“I am sure that Islam will accept this,” Kava concluded. “I am sure that we will fight for this belt, but this is really not on us. This is on them. This is where we are with him. ”
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