Ilia Topuria wasn’t lying when he mentioned his reason for vacating his 145lbs title. “The UFC promised me I’d fight for the [lightweight] belt,” the 28-year-old asserted in March while doubling down on his need for a shot at gold. This was despite the fact that Islam Makhachev made it clear he doesn’t want to fight another featherweight who hasn’t really made a mark in the lightweight division. Ilia Topuria needs at least one win over a top 155-pounder to make his case for a title shot, claimed the Dagestan native, and it seems the champion’s thoughts resonated with his rival.

Well, guess what? #1 ranked 155lbs contender Arman Tsarukyan recently made some interesting statements about the UFC’s plans for ‘La Leyenda’. And it is really surprising? While Tsarukyan blew up his shot at the title due to an injury, leading Dana White to state he would not get another opportunity anytime soon, the fighter’s intention is still to get a bout against Makhachev someday.

Last week, Arman Tsarukyan was on the JAXXON podcast, where he stated: “I think he [Topuria] left 145 lbs because they said, ‘Okay, we’re gonna give you title fight.’ […] Islam doesn’t want to fight him because if he beats him, people gonna say, ‘Okay, he again beat 145’er. He’s not a contender. If Islam beats me, then I think he’s done in this division. He beat everybody. He gotta beat me, and people can say that.” Well, Tsarukyan isn’t wrong here, but he also forgot one important aspect. 

You see, 2023 was a stagnant year for the lightweight division. The Dagestani champion fought Alexander Volkanovski twice that year (UFC 284, UFC 294), and while he won both the fights, contenders from the 155lbs division got no chances to fight against the champion that year. But in the present scenario, Makhachev’s ambitions have only risen, and he has his eyes set on the welterweight division.

However, UFC 315 will give us the answer about Islam Makhachev’s potential move. If Belal Muhammad retains his title, maybe the 155 lbs kingpin will have to give in to Ilia Topuria’s demands for a title shot, according to Tsarukyan. “If he doesn’t move [to 170 lbs], yeah, [Makhachev will fight Topuria],” the 28-year-old added. But why are all these moving and jumping divisions needed?

For the unversed, Khabib Nurmagomedov told Adam Zubayraev last week that Islam Makhachev won’t be fighting Muhammad no matter what. For ‘Team Khabib’, blood is thicker than gold! Moreover, the 170lbs kingpin has also made it clear from his end that he won’t be fighting his ‘brother’. However, Nurmagomedov did mention the possibility of Makhachev moving up if Jack Della Maddalena could slay Muhammad at UFC 315 in Montreal. So a lot depends on the next UFC PPV!

However, Ilia Topuria is already devising his own tactics to get Islam Makhachev to give him a title shot as soon as possible. If you’re wondering what that tactic is, it’s simply him playing the waiting game. Here’s what he had to say!

Ilia Topuria plans to fight no one other than Islam Makhachev!

Waiting hasn’t helped too many fighters in the UFC. While waiting for over two years for the ‘red panty night’ payout for a fight against Conor McGregor, lightweight star Michael Chandler wasted a couple of valuable years in his fighting career. So, it may not be wise for Ilia Topuria to do the same. ‘La Leyenda’ previously mentioned the possibility of going up against Charles Oliveira, but the Brazilian isn’t on board to fight for anything other than the belt.

And now, Topuria also reiterated his title fight aspirations as the UFC promised, and to get that, he’s willing to sideline himself till then, which he doesn’t think is what Dana White and Co. would think is best for business. “I would like to fight with Islam, that is for sure, I would like to fight him. I wouldn’t fight for a No. 1 contender fight. If Islam decides he doesn’t want to fight me. I’ll sit until you’re gonna have to fight me,” Ilia Topuria told Joe Rogan on the latter’s podcast.

“I don’t think they would put me on the sidelines, because I vacated the belt because I told them I wouldn’t fight at 145 again, but I got a promise that I would fight for the title in my next fight. So, how much time will you stop me from fighting?”

The picture will be clear in the next few weeks, but as far as the current scenario is concerned, Ilia Topuria is not looking like he’ll get a title shot anytime soon.

But what do you think? Drop your comments below.