Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Ilia Topuria reacts to his championship victory against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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Ilia Topuria Reminds The Lightweight Division Of His Power With Max Holloway KO Replay; Opens Poll For Next Title Challenger!

Champions usually have clear contenders lined up waiting for their title shot opportunities in most UFC divisions. But sometimes a division lacks an obvious number one contender that everyone agrees deserves the next shot. The lightweight championship picture finds itself in exactly that situation right now heading into 2026. Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in June to capture the vacant 155-pound title impressively. But now Topuria prepares for his first title defense with several potential challengers creating confusion about direction.

Ilia Topuria’s next fight remains unclear, so the lightweight king turns to fans to decide his next UFC opponent directly. The champion posted on social media asking followers who they want to see him fight next. This democratic approach to matchmaking shows Topuria’s confidence in beating anyone the division throws at him.

Ilia Topuria Opens The Floor For Fan Suggestions

Ilia Topuria (17-0) took to social media platform Instagram with an interesting proposition for his massive following around the world. The lightweight champion posted a clip of him knocking out Max Holloway. He captioned it with a quote and followed this by asking his fans directly who they believe deserves the next title shot against him.

“Time passes, but the throne doesn’t move. Who deserves the next shot?”

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A post shared by Ilia Topuria (@iliatopuria)

The post generated thousands of responses within hours as fans debated the merits of different matchups. Some supporters suggested immediate rematches while others championed fresh contenders climbing the rankings steadily. There are several names that jump out, some more likely to be next than others.

Among the most requested matchup is Ilia Topuria vs Paddy Pimblett. Fans seem to think that their intense rivalry would make for a great fight in the Octagon. The Liverpool fighter himself believes their grudge match should happen next given their long history of animosity.

Other names thrown into consideration include several deserving contenders with strong recent performances behind them. Arman Tsarukyan sits near the top of the rankings and many consider him the rightful number one contender. His fight against Dan Hooker will likely determine if he gets the next shot officially. Charles Oliveira won his recent fight, and a rematch with him, though unlikely remains a request from fans. Even Islam Makhachev’s name got mentioned despite competing at welterweight currently against Jack Della Maddalena soon.

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

Arman Tsarukyan

Charles Oliveira

Dan Hooker

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Max Holloway

Paddy Pimblett

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!