Feb 17, 2024; Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

‘Better If You Stay Quiet’ – Ilia Topuria Reminds Former Lightweight Champ Of His Lacklustre Career History

Ilia Topuria roasts former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira over his spotted career history in the UFC!

Feb 17, 2024; Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC lightweight division has never lacked drama. From Conor McGregor’s chaotic reign to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s dominance, 155 pounds has always been home to big personalities. Now, a new voice demands attention. Ilia Topuria, the undefeated featherweight champion, has set his sights on conquering a second weight class. His path from Spanish regional circuits to UFC gold reads like a fighting fairy tale.

Just last year, he shocked the world by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to claim the 145-pound title. He then topped it off with a KO victory over Max Holloway. But climbing weight classes in the UFC is no small feat. However, Topuria seems unfazed by these challenges. His eyes are set on the title, but the resident 155’ers, especially Charles Oliveira had something to say.

Also Read: ‘It Should Be Me To Welcome Him’ – UFC fighter Adamant To Be Ilia Topuria’s First Go At Lightweight

Charles Oliveira’s Skepticism Meets Ilia Topuria’s Sharp Response

Charles Oliveira didn’t mince words when discussing Topuria’s move up. ‘Do Bronx’ questioned whether the featherweight champion’s power and skills would translate to lightweight. It was a fair assessment from a man who knows the division well. After all, Oliveira holds the UFC record for most submissions. His journey from inconsistent prospect to champion gives his opinions weight. But Topuria wasn’t having any of it.

The Georgian-Spaniard fired back with a brutal reminder of Oliveira’s career setbacks. He reminded the former champion of his losses throughout his career.

“Charles, it’s better if you stay quiet. You have 10 losses: 5 by knockout, 4 by submission, and 1 by decision. You are the contender, while I am the champion, the father of the entire division. I haven’t come here to ask anything. Here, I am the one in charge.”

Charles, it's better if you stay quiet. You have 10 losses: 5 by knockout, 4 by submission, and 1 by decision. You are the contender, while I am the champion, the father of the entire division. I haven't come here to ask anything. Here, I am the one in charge.
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) March 22, 2025

The response highlighted Oliveira’s vulnerabilities while emphasizing Topuria’s own undefeated record. It’s the kind of statistical slap that’s hard to counter. But, Oliveira has grown a lot since his continuous defeats. Fun fact: Charles Oliveira once fought at featherweight too! So he knows very well the problems associated with moving up the weight class.

Weight Classes Exist For a Reason

Topuria’s lightweight journey faces significant obstacles before it even started. Islam Makhachev has looked nearly unbeatable, outgrappling and outstrikings ome of the division’s best. Charles Oliveira’s submission skills have strangled many dreams. And fighters like Arman Tsarukyan and Dustin Poirier aren’t giving up their spots in line easily. Moreover, Dana White had poured cold water over Topuria’s lightweight title shot dreams.

There are many fighters that went up the weight class and captured the title. The history contains both cautionary tales and success stories. BJ Penn famously captured both welterweight and lightweight titles. Daniel Cormier dominated at heavyweight and light heavyweight. Most recently, Alex Pereira won the middleweight and light heavyweight belts.

But for every dual champion, many more discover that weight classes exist for good reason. Alexander Volkkanovski tried twice but failed. Ilia Topuria’s perfect record and knockout power earned him the right to try. Whether his skills translate or his trash talk writes cheques his body can’t cash will be one of 2025’s most fascinating MMA storylines!

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Charles Oliveira

Ilia Topuria

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!