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

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Who Will Ilia Topuria Fight Next? 3 Opponents For ‘El Matador’s’ Lightweight Debut

Who’s next for Ilia Topuria? Here are 3 potential opponents for his highly anticipated Lightweight debut!

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

The UFC‘s lightweight division has always been a mix of elite talent. Reaching the top at 155 pounds requires something special. Now, former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria plans to test those waters after vacating his 145-pound title.

🚨 Dana White says the reason Ilia Topuria vacated his title is because he feels he has "cemented his legacy" at featherweight:

"Topuria has felt like he's done all that he can in that division… his body cannot make the weight anymore…

We will announce what Topuria's next… pic.twitter.com/amCuRfDZvX
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 20, 2025

His perfect 15-0 record and stunning victory over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway showed he is no ordinary challenger. The last time we saw a champion move up with this much hype was when Conor McGregor tried his luck against Eddie Alvarez (he won the fight). Let us look at three potential opponents who could welcome ‘El Matador’ to the lightweight ranks.

Also Read: Major Shuffle In UFC Featherweight Division As Ilia Topuria Vacates Title!

Charles Oliveira

“Do Bronx” remains one of the most dangerous fighters in the division, despite losing his belt to Islam Makhachev and recent loss to Arman Tsarukyan. His record for most finishes in UFC history speaks for itself. Oliveira’s wild striking exchanges and elite submission game would test every aspect of Topuria’s skill set.

Topuria himself is a good grappler, although Oliveira may have the edge in the submission game. Boxing wise, Topuria is leaps ahead. Plus, he brings the power to decimate anyone. A fight between these two would have more.

Dustin Poirier

‘The Diamond’ has been in there with the best of the best, and his boxing remains elite. Poirier’s wars with Max Holloway at lightweight showed how he handles smaller fighters moving up. His recent knockout of Benoit Saint-Denis proved he’s still got that killer instinct.

Ilia Topuria just name-dropped Dustin Poirier as a potential LW fight 👀

(via @fullsendpodcast) pic.twitter.com/SfXYshbcie
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) February 13, 2025

Moreover, who wouldn’t want to see two of the prettiest strikers in the game throw down? This fight is a very tantalizing aspect for fans as this might very well be the swan song for the Louisiana native. Furthermore, these both seem to be down to fight each other, as is evident from their social media.

Arman Tsarukyan

Sometimes the scariest fights come from the new generation. Arman Tsarukyan has been steamrolling through the division with a perfect blend of wrestling and striking. His only UFC losses came against Islam Makhachev and a controversial decision to Mateusz Gamrot. The way he handled Beneil Dariush showed he is ready for anyone.

He recently had to withdraw from a title shot due to back injury, but now, he is ready. This fight would answer questions about both men’s championship potential, and the grappling exchanges would be like watching a chess match!

Islam Makhachev

Topuria has been advocating for a fight with the lightweight champion and the Pound for Pound #1 fighter in the world Islam Makhachev for quite soetime now. His tweets and interviews are laced with calling out the Dagestani fighter. This may very well be a possibility for International fight week this year (as reported by Ariel Helwani).

🚨 The UFC's plan is for Ilia Topuria to fight Islam Makhachev later in the year, and maybe as early as International Fight Week in June 👀

(via. @arielhelwani) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/vffohI7R7s
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 20, 2025

It must be noted that Makhacev has faced Alexander Volkanovski, the featherweight legend twice in his championship reign. He defeated him both times. But Ilia Topuria thinks he has what it takes to beat Islam Makhachev and become a two division champion!

Each of these matchups presents unique challenges for Topuria. Sure, he looked unstoppable at featherweight, but lightweight is a different beast. The good news for fight fans is that Topuria seems to have that special kind of confidence that borders on delusion.

The lightweight division needs fresh blood at the top, and Topuria could be just what the doctor ordered. Whether he’s trading bombs with Poirier, playing submission chess with Oliveira, or testing his wrestling against Tsarukyan, one thing’s for sure. ‘El Matador’ isn’t here to take part, he’s here to take over!

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

Arman Tsarukyan

Charles Oliveira

Dustin Poirier

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!