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'No one is at my level' ... Ilia Topuria declares himself UFC champion and warns the lightweight division

Ilia Topuria makes a bold statement ahead of his UFC lightweight title run.

Mathew Riddle

Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

History repeats itself - Ilia Topuria has declared himself a UFC champion before fighting for the belt.

'El Matador' infamously branded himself the featherweight champion long before knocking out Alexander Volkanovski, and he's done it again ahead of his presumed fight with Islam Makhachev in the lightweight division.

Dana White announced that Topuria had vacated his featherweight title to move to lightweight, and now fans await the reveal of his next fight. The champion, Makhachev, is the obvious choice, but he could also fight any of the top five contenders.

Until then, Topuria is keen to remind them of who they're dealing with.

Ilia Topuria
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

'I'm the lightweight champion' ... Ilia Topuria sends stark warning to UFC lightweights

In an interview with Men's Health, Topuria explained his mentality entering the new division.

"Of course [there will be a new champion], I'm the lightweight champion of the world," Topuria declared. "... I don't sign up for a fight without knowing if I'm going to win or not... None of them are at my level.

"[...] My anatomy naturally belongs to this weight.." [Translated by MMA Knockout]

Since moving up to lightweight, Topuria has digitally sparred with Charles Oliveira, but he wants to challenge Makhachev for the belt only.

Ilia Topuria has fought at UFC lightweight before and it wasn't easy

Topuria fought in the UFC's lightweight division back in 2022 against Jai Herbert in London. Herbert came close to finishing Topuria with a head kick, before succumbing to the pressure and suffering a savage knockout loss in the second round.

Hopefully, the Georgian-Spanish fighter will have better preparation for his next lightweight contest, since Makhachev is well-versed in fighting former featherweight champions.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with half a decade of digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on Bloody Elbow, The Fight Fanatic, and Heavy on UFC. He runs Warrior Tribune and can be contacted by his Muckrack profile.

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