Ilia Topuria, the new UFC lightweight champion, has openly dismissed any talks of facing Arman Tsarukyan for his first title defense. Topuria secured the lightweight belt in June at UFC 317 with a decisive knockout over Charles Oliveira. Despite Tsarukyan being a logical contender based on rankings, Topuria showed no interest in the matchup, especially after Tsarukyan withdrew from a title shot just days before UFC 311 and a scheduled bout against then-champion Islam Makhachev.

Topuria was direct about his feelings, stating,

“First of all, who gives a f*ck about him,”

—Ilia Topuria. He criticized Tsarukyan’s withdrawal without a clear injury, contrasting his own willingness to fight regardless of circumstances:

“Me? I would go, even like that inside the octagon.”

—Ilia Topuria.

Response to Max Holloway’s remarks about the BMF title

During the UFC 318 post-fight press conference following his win over Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway addressed Topuria’s claim to the BMF belt, which was not officially contested when they fought at UFC 308. Holloway questioned the legitimacy of Topuria walking around with the BMF championship, emphasizing that the title was never officially at stake. He compared the situation to Islam Makhachev not carrying a champion’s belt after defeating Alexander Volkanovski twice, saying,

“At the end of the day, when the UFC didn’t put it up, it is what it is, you know,”

and

“It just makes no sense what he’s doing walking around with it, or whatever. Did you see [Islam Makhachev] walking around with [another] champion’s belt after beating [Alexander Volkanovski] two times? You know what I mean? Like, the belt wasn’t on the line. Get over it, brother. Why did you spend money on a damn f*cking belt?”

—Max Holloway.

Topuria defends his claim as BMF after knockout victory

Topuria, also known as “El Matador,” strongly disagrees with Holloway’s perspective, highlighting his knockout win over the former champion in Abu Dhabi as proof of his rightful claim. He pointed out that he was the first to stop Holloway by strikes and questioned how Holloway could still be called the BMF after being knocked out:

“I told you, I pointed to the ground in the first 10 seconds. You ran away. Then I caught you anyways and I put you to sleep. And you’re still the BMF? How’s that?”

—Ilia Topuria. He dismissed Holloway’s criticism by emphasizing the clear outcome of their encounter, stating simply,

“That’s not my problem. I just knocked him out. How can you still be the BMF if I knock you out?”

Significance and what to expect going forward

Topuria’s firm rejection of a fight with Tsarukyan signals a clear stance on who he will entertain as challengers, possibly focusing on other contenders in the lightweight division. His confrontation with Max Holloway adds tension to the UFC’s ongoing narrative around the BMF title, raising questions about the belt’s recognition and future defenses. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if Topuria’s disputes with fellow fighters escalate or lead to high-profile matchups that clarify the standing of the BMF championship within the UFC hierarchy.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Is Ilia Topuria Turkish?

A. Ilia Topuria, born on January 21, 1997, is a mixed martial artist from Georgia and Spain. He fights in the Lightweight division of the UFC. Currently, he holds the title of UFC Lightweight Champion.