Making history at UFC 317 over the weekend, Ilia Topuria has once more been offered the chance to add to his spectacular recent run.
Topuria, who made his lightweight divisional return during International Fight Week, managed to mint himself as the promotion’s new undisputed champion.
Adding to his prior success at featherweight, Topuria became the first fighter in promotional history to win two titles whilst boasting an unbeaten record.
In rather brutal fashion, to boot, Topuria laid out veteran star, Charles Oliveira with a spectacular opening round knockout win — as predicted, no less.
Already making waves at both featherweight and lightweight, Topuria has now been offered a staggering leap as high as welterweight by a top contender.
Belal Muhammad offers Ilia Topuria chance to prove himself at welterweight
Competing for a vacant crown over the weekend, Topuria missed out on a grudge super fight with rival Islam Makhachev — who himself is set for an imminent welterweight climb.
And vowing to chase the Russian to 170lbs if needs be to secure a pairing, Topuria may have an opening at welterweight quicker than expected.
As far as ex-champion Muhammad is concerned, Spanish finisher, Topuria, is tailor-made for him to show off against — offering him a debut in a third weight class.
“I really want to see him (Ilia Topuria) go against another guy at 155 [pounds] who has shown that they have a chin, that they’ve never been dropped,” Muhammad said on his YouTube channel.
“At 170 [pounds], I think the size definitely would matter. At 155 [pounds] and 170 [pounds], it’s a big difference, especially for a guy that’s coming from 145 [pounds].
“But man, I’d welcome him to come to 170 [pounds], come up! Let’s do it.”
Continuing his blistering run at lightweight, a potential move to welterweight — if successful — would truly see Topuria warrant his recent upturn in the official pound-for-pound rankings.
But for the time being, Topuria seems to be preoccupied with lightweight — with a clash against an arch-rival looming.
Ilia Topuria gears up for blockbuster Paddy Pimblett clash
Joined in the Octagon by brash Liverpool grappler, Pimblett, after his win at UFC 317, Topuria has made promises to finish his fellow ex-Cage Warriors star.
A historic rival of the undefeated puncher, Pimblett has offered his own stern warning to Topuria, in his bid to bring his dominant Octagon tenure to a hurtling halt.
“I want to finish him (Topuria) with a minute left in the fight after I’ve elbowed him 700 times,” Pimblett told ESPN MMA after UFC 317. “I want to disfigure him.”
A veteran rival of Topuria, Pimblett has locked horns with the Spanish megastar ever since their respective debuts in the organization five years ago.