Jun 28, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ilia Topuria (red gloves) prior to the fight against Charles Oliveira (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Henry Cejudo And Kamaru Usman Discuss Ilia Topuria’s Plan To Fight Islam Makhachev And Chase Glory At Welterweight

Ilia Topuria has been making waves ever since he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title. The Georgian-Spanish fighter isn’t shy about his ambitions either. He has already moved up to lightweight and plans to move to even welterweight to collect more belts. Topuria wants to fight Islam Makhachev, potentially at welterweight, and cement his legacy as one of the greats.

It’s bold, ambitious, and exactly the kind of talk that gets fans excited. But not everyone thinks it’s a good idea. Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman recently discussed Ilia Topuria’s plan during an episode of the Pound for Pound podcast, and they had some strong opinions about how the featherweight champ should handle his career.

Henry Cejudo Breaks Down Who Ilia Topuria Needs To Beat First

When Usman asked Cejudo who exactly Topuria needs to beat at lightweight, Triple C didn’t hesitate. He rattled off three names: Paddy Pimblett, Justin Gaethje, and Arman Tsarukyan. Those are legitimate challenges that would prove Topuria belongs among the lightweight elite. Paddy brings hype and a massive fanbase. Gaethje is a proven contender with brutal power. Arman is one of the most technical fighters in the division. Beating all three would silence any doubters about Topuria’s ability to compete at 155 pounds.

Cejudo then used his own career as an example of how to build a legendary resume. He beat Demetrious Johnson, TJ Dillashaw, Marlon Moraes, and Dominick Cruz during his championship run. Three of those four fighters are future Hall of Fame fighters. That’s the kind of resume that makes people respect your legacy forever. Cejudo stayed, defended, and beat the absolute best. That’s what he wants to see from Topuria.

If Ilia moves up and fights Islam Makhachev at welterweight without clearing out lightweight first, Cejudo thinks it throws everything off. It creates confusion about where fighters actually belong and cheapens the accomplishments.

Kamaru Usman Questions Topuria’s Long-Term Plans

Kamaru Usman brought up an interesting counterpoint during their discussion. He doesn’t think Topuria wants to stay at lightweight anyway. Even if Islam Makhachev wins the welterweight title at UFC 322 and Topuria fights him there and wins, Usman believes Ilia won’t stick around at 170 pounds. He will take the belt and move on to something else. It’s a fair observation given how ambitious Topuria has been with his callouts and future plans.

Cejudo jumped on that point immediately. He explained that the UFC doesn’t like when fighters just show up, fight for a belt, and then take off. It messes with rankings, creates uncertainty in divisions, and frustrates other contenders who are grinding away waiting for their shot. The promotion wants champions who will defend their titles and build up their divisions. Conor McGregor became the poster child for this problem years ago when he won belts and never defended them. The UFC has been trying to avoid creating those situations ever since.

The debate between Cejudo and Usman perfectly captures the tension in modern MMA. Do you chase the biggest, flashiest fights or do you build a traditional legacy? Topuria seems determined to do things his way, but whether the UFC will embrace that approach remains to be seen.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Henry Cejudo

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Kamaru Usman

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!