While Ilia Topuria and his team have teased a move up to lightweight, it appears not everyone believes that the UFC featherweight champion will make such a jump.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Topuria’s coach, Jorge Climent, teased that Topuria is looking at a move up to lightweight, even if it means leaving the UFC flyweight title he won just 10 months ago behind.
The expectation had been that Topuria would have a rematch with the man he took the belt from, Alexander Volkanovski, at some point in 2025. But “El Matador” caused a stir during a radio appearance in Spain when he suggested he’s competed at 145 pounds for the last time.
One key lightweight contender, Dan Hooker, thinks that talk from Topuria and his camp is just that — talk.
Dan Hooker Doesn’t Believe Ilia Topuria Will Make Jump To Lightweight
During his own recent interview with Submission Radio, Hooker described Topuria’s remarks as “classic s***” that stems from McGregor’s own playbook from 2015-16.
“It’s pretty evident that he’s just working off the line one from McGregor’s playbook, which is keeping your name in the headlines,” Hooker said. “So, all I kind of see from it is that Ilia Topuria is keeping his name in the headlines — like the guy doesn’t fight that often. I think he just fights Volk next year.”
Topuria won the featherweight title by knocking out Volkanovski at UFC 298. He then successfully retained the title at UFC 308, becoming the first man to knock out former champion Max Holloway.
It should be noted the featherweight division is not cleaned out, with Diego Lopes and Movsar Evolev each making their claims of late for a potential title shot down the line.
Hooker, meanwhile, won his third straight fight at UFC 305 in August, defeating Mateusz Gamrot in an entertaining upset.