Ilia Topuria removes his bloodied mouthguard between rounds in a featherweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event Saturday, June 24, 2023 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Ilia Topuria defeated Josh Emmett by unanimous decision in five rounds.

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Ilia Topuria Reveals The “Promise” Made With Him In Exchange For Giving Up The Featherweight Belt

Ilia Topuria finally reveals the real reason about why he vacated the featherweight belt after just one title defense!

February 2025 marked a seismic shift in the UFC featherweight division. The man who had dethroned Alexander Volkanovski in spectacular fashion just months earlier, made a decision that left everyone speechless. Ilia Topuria vacated his 145-pound title with no warning. The Spanish-Georgian fighter had barely warmed the throne, defending his belt just once against Max Holloway. His reign ended almost as quickly as it began, leaving the division in disarray and creating rumors throughout the MMA world about his true motives.

Topuria’s sudden departure from the division had people questioning his commitment. Was it weight cutting issues? Had he fallen out with UFC management? Was there a personal problem fans didn’t know about? The mystery only deepened. Now, he himself has come forward with the real reason why he gave up the belt.

Also Read: Ilia Topuria Names These 2 Lightweights As His Next Potential Opponents

Ilia Topuria Reveals The “Promise”

Recently at WOW 17, Topuria finally broke his silence about what prompted his surprising decision. This reason clarified that Topuria hadn’t abandoned his featherweight title on a whim. There was a calculated agreement with UFC brass behind the scenes.

“The UFC promised me I’d fight for the belt. That’s why I vacated it. And they’ve always kept their promise.”

🚨 Ilia Topuria says he vacated the FW title because the UFC promised him a title fight

"The UFC promised me I'd fight for the belt. That's why I vacated it. And they've always kept their promise."

👀👀

via @IratiPratSC h/t @Infinity_MMA pic.twitter.com/XgiK6MeGVg
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) March 30, 2025

The promotion had apparently guaranteed him an immediate title shot at 155 pounds if he relinquished his current belt. This was an offer too enticing for the ambitious champion to refuse.

The lightweight division is arguably the UFC’s most talent-rich weight class, featuring killers like Arman Tsarukyan, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Mateusz Gamrot who have all been campaigning for their shot at Islam Makhachev’s crown. Topuria potentially leapfrogging this entire murderer’s row has understandably ruffled some feathers among both fighters and fans.

The potential matchup between Topuria and Makhachev presents a fascinating clash of styles. Makhachev’s suffocating Dagestani wrestling against Topuria’s crisp boxing and submission skills creates one of the most intriguing champion vs. champion fights in recent memory.

The UFC hasn’t officially announced the fight yet. If Topuria succeeds where others like Charles Oliveira and Alexander Volkanovski have failed, he would cement himself as one of the greatest fighters of his generation. The chance to become two-division UFC champion is a risk worth taking for the 28-year-old star. Whether this gamble pays off or backfires spectacularly remains to be seen!

(Image Credit: Corey Perrine/Florid – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

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!