Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ilia Topuria Names These 2 Lightweights As His Next Potential Opponents

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

If you’ve been following the 155 division of the UFC, then you must know that there a lot of confusion, drama, and chaos going around. It’s not only the top contenders in the light heavyweight division that are clueless, but it seems like even UFC President Dana White is unsure about what will transpire in the upcoming months.

At first we had Ilia Topuria vacate the featherweight division and the belt to fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title, but that will most likely not happen anytime soon as Makhachev and his team have declined to fight another featherweight fighter. This left Topuria and his team a little confused because according to the Georgian’s representative Malki Kawa, they were guaranteed a fight for the title. However, Makhachev and his team believes that Topuria needs to take on other contenders in the lightweight division, and only then the Russian would be interested in fighting the featherweight champ.

Also Read: Alex Pereira Reveals the Potential Month for Magomed Ankalaev Rematch!

So this has left all of us to wonder who will Topuria potentially fight next? Will he fight lightweight contenders like Charles Oliveira first, or will he just wait until Makhachev finally agrees to take him on?

Topuria recently revealed that he is preparing to fight Makhachev or Oliveira, and also threw a little jab along their way. Let’s see what he had to say.

Topuria Believes That Makhachev and Oliveira Are Afraid To Fight Him

If you follow Topuria, you know he likes to talk a little trash to every opponent he is going to or supposed to face. He named Makhachev and Oliveira as his next opponents but he believes that both his opponents are scared to face him inside the octagon.

Topuria said “I am preparing for Islam Makhachev. All my training is focused on Islam or Charles because I don’t see any other contenders. So I have those two names in my mind. Neither of them seems to step up. They use phrase like a champ fights whoever they’re told and all that, then it’s I won’t fight him, he’s too small. I change weight class and say I’m small, I am now in your division. Then it’s he hasn’t earned it yet. Well, these are signs of fear , we all know it but it is normal. I would be scared too.”

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Topuria is certainly not going to back down from anybody. After Makhachev wanted Topuria to fight a contender, there’s been a lot of talk for a potential fight between Oliveira and Topuria. The Georgian himself has expressed a lot of interest in taking on the Brazilian since Makhachev fought two months ago against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 and he may not be ready by April/May.

Also Read: Alexander Volkanovski Feels One Fighter Has The Edge In The Potential Topuria vs. Makhachev Title Clash!

Ilia Topuria is asked if he'd go for a walk with Charles Oliveira 😅

"Actually yes, to give him a bit of culture and teach him something, because it's obvious that kid hasn't even read a single page of a newspaper.

Another question please, because this isn't a good time to talk… pic.twitter.com/mSwS9Zu8xu
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 25, 2025

Oliveira and Topuria have been going at it on social media, and have exchanged quite a lot of words for each other. While it is possible that Topuria takes on Oliveira next, the dates have not been confirmed and we do not even know if the Brazilian wants to fight Topuria, since he’s interested in fighting for the title instead.

Charles Oliveira

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

UFC

Eric Divakaran

nba

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