Topuria Reacts After UFC 317 Title Fight Announcement

Ilia Topuria isn’t holding back following confirmation of his next fight. Set to battle Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight championship at UFC 317, Topuria wasted no time in addressing what he sees as a blatant dodge by former champ Islam Makhachev.

Topuria, who vacated his featherweight title in pursuit of lightweight gold, had been campaigning for a bout with Makhachev for months. However, Makhachev’s decision to move up to welterweight and vacate the lightweight strap left Topuria with a new opponent—but also plenty to say.

"Biggest Hypocrite I've Ever Seen"

At the WOW 19 press conference, Topuria gave his unfiltered thoughts on Makhachev’s departure from the 155-pound division.

“Islam is the biggest hypocrite I've ever seen,” Topuria said. “He said he didn't want to give me the opportunity because I was the little guy. And now the little guy is the one looking for the same opportunity I was looking for [against Maddalena].

I put everything on the table, and they ran away... Why chase Makhachev at welterweight? If someone runs away, you don't have to bully them. I don't want to fight people who don't want to fight me either.” [Translated]

Despite securing a shot at undisputed gold, it’s clear Topuria is still frustrated by what he sees as a missed legacy opportunity.

Why Makhachev vs Topuria Didn't Happen

Whether Topuria’s assessment is accurate or not, the circumstances leading to the fallout have been in motion for months.

Islam Makhachev, the former lightweight champion, defended his title a record four times. However, the level of competition during that run has been questioned. Two of his defenses came against then-featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, while the others were against an aging Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano—the latter stepping in on just one day's notice.

From the beginning, Team Khabib and Makhachev's camp were hesitant about facing another featherweight-turned-lightweight. They consistently framed a Topuria bout as a “lose-lose” scenario—high risk, low reward—and made it clear that a second title was the long-term goal.

Makhachev Eyes Welterweight Gold

Much of the delay around UFC 315 and the lightweight belt was due to Makhachev’s decision hinging on the outcome of Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena. After Della Maddalena's win, the path was cleared for Makhachev to move up and pursue the welterweight crown.

But for fans, the writing has been on the wall: the much-hyped Makhachev vs. Topuria clash was never in serious play.

UFC 317: A New Chapter for Topuria

With the dust settled, Topuria vs. Oliveira is official. The Georgian-Spaniard has the chance to become a two-division UFC champion, while Oliveira aims to reclaim the belt he once held and restart his reign at lightweight.

Still, many fans—and Topuria himself—will likely view the Makhachev saga as unfinished business.

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For all the latest updates on UFC 317, the future of Ilia Topuria, and the next moves from Islam Makhachev, stay with NeverEndingSports. We cover breaking fight news, drama inside and outside the cage, and the stories shaping combat sports around the world.