Ilia Topuria has lofty aspirations after UFC 308: ‘A three-weight world champion, this is my goal’
Ilia Topuria | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Ilia Topuria has big goals after UFC 308.
This Saturday, Topuria defends his UFC featherweight title against Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi. It’s one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year, and it’s Topuria’s first title defense, but for “El Matador” it’s more than that: it’s the next step on a road to immortality.
Speaking with UFC on TNT Sports ahead of this weekend’s big event, Topuria revealed that in the next three years — by the time he’s 30 years old — he plans on being a three-division world champion.
“Probably a three-weight world champion, this is my goal,” Topuria said. “You’re not going to see me in the welterweight division like this, skinny. You’re going to see me different. That’s the goal. Move up to the lightweight division, get that belt, then move up to the welterweight division.”
"Three years... three belts" @TopuriaIlia has big plans for the next three years!#UFC308 | Oct 26, 5PM | LIVE on TNT Sports Box Office ➡️ https://t.co/uXQAMHNTBd pic.twitter.com/h8S8uRAWr4
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 22, 2024
Thus far, nine different fights have titles in two UFC weight classes, with only five doing so simultaneously. Thus far no fighter has ever even challenged for a title in three UFC weight classes, though recently, former UFC middleweight champion and current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira teased the possibility of moving up to heavyweight to do so.
But first thing is first, Topuria has to settle his business with Holloway. The current “BMF” Champion has only lost to Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight over the past decade and presents a serious challenge to the young champion. But Topuria has his own challenge for Holloway come Saturday: to meet him in the middle, like Holloway has repeatedly done at the end of previous fights.
“If he stays in the middle the first 10 seconds of the fight, they’re going to see the most exciting 10 seconds in the UFC in MMA history,” Topuria promised. “It’s going to be fireworks. For sure I’m going to do that, and it’s going to be all up to him if he wants to stay with me or not.”
UFC 308 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi this Saturday.
