By FCF Staff

Ilia Topuria doesn’t know who he will fight next, now that he’s vacated the featherweight title and is moving up to lightweight. But, the former champ’s reporting the UFC’s guaranteed he will be fighting for the belt at 155 pounds.

Earlier this year, it was announced Topuria has dropped the featherweight title to make a run at lightweight. While the consensus has been the UFC is hoping to book Topuria to battle lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev, in the past, the latter has said he’s not interested in that match-up.

Topuria was on hand at a Way of Warrior event in Madrid this past weekend. While discussing his next fight with the media, “El Matador” claimed in Spanish he’s been told by the UFC he will fight for the lightweight crown (quotes via MMA Fighting.com / h/t MMA Marca, translation via Championship Rounds).

“I’m not entirely sure what my next fight will be. The only thing I’m sure of is that the UFC’s word is that my next fight will be for the world title. That’s all I know. Afterwards, if it’s going to be Islam, if it’s going to be Charles (Oliveira), I have no idea.”

“The belt will be on the line,” he added. “It will be on the line. That was the promise for leaving my title vacant. They’ve always kept their promises.”

The 28-year-old Topuria (16-0) is coming off a knockout win over former champ, Max Holloway in October. That bout marked the first time Topuria had competed since he KO’d Alexander Volkanovski in February, 2024, to win the featherweight title.