Ilia Topuria isn’t just any champion right now. He’s the champion who announced a hiatus, citing personal reasons, and walked away while the division stalled behind him. So, when the video of Merab Dvalishvili attempting to sing along with Ilia Topuria while driving through Spain went viral on social media, not everyone saw it as harmless fun. To some, it felt like a contradiction, one that put the pressure directly onto Dana White.

The clip uploaded by ‘The Machine’ on his Instagram didn’t say much, but the context surely did. Ilia Topuria recently made his position public, stating that legal concerns related to his separation and claimed “extortion attempts” have forced him to stay away from the UFC limelight for the sake of his children. Earlier this month, ‘El Matador’ made it clear that he would not be returning before mid-2026 and would not make any further comments on his personal life while the proceedings continued.

However, all this did not eliminate the uncertainty around his future or the responsibility that comes with being a UFC champion. At a time when many expected him to be around his children or in somewhat of a sullen mood, seeing him hanging out and enjoying his hiatus despite holding the title hostage surely left fans fuming.

And that’s when the reactions became sharp, as some fans showed no interest in subtlety. “He’s chilling with the title. Strip him, @danawhite,” one wrote. Another addressed the topic that many were already thinking about: “What happened to Topuria’s personal issues?” Sarcasm followed quickly. “‘Fixing personal problems’ 😂 😂” The mood wasn’t cruel so much as impatient, with the belt being the source of annoyance.

With Ilia Topuria sidelined and Arman Tsarukyan once again out of the title picture, fans took advantage of the opportunity to mock the champion. “So when are you fighting Arman?” one asked. “Fight Arman already,” another fan demanded. One reply summed up the sense of avoidance with a laugh: “Anything but fight Tsarukyan 😂.”

It does not help that this comes just days after a volatile interview from the champion. He received flak from Arman Tsarukyan and Ali Abdelaziz for continuing the verbal spat despite claiming to be dealing with personal problems. But some fans couldn’t care less.

Then followed the humor that only MMA fans can produce. The visual of Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili together prompted jokes unrelated to belts or rankings. “Imagine road raging and these two get out of the car,” one fan joked. Another took it a step further: “Imagine rear-ending this car 😂.” Someone else kept it simple: “I’m not driving anywhere near them.”

However, not all of it was criticism or sarcasm. Some fans saw the clip for what it was: a rare, personal moment between two elite fighters. “Two legends vibing together 🔥,” one wrote. Another wrote, “Two goats 🦾🏆💪🏻.” And probably the purest reaction of all: “It’s beautiful to see two real champions be such good friends.”

In the end, the video revealed an existing problem rather than creating one. Ilia Topuria may be struggling with major personal issues, and he has made his intentions known. But as long as the belt remains dormant and situations like these arise, the questioning will not stop. In fact, even a UFC legend recently spoke about stripping the champion of his title.

Chael Sonnen advocates for stripping Topuria’s belt

That conflict did not begin with the Merab Dvalishvili video. It was already there, quietly, before fans ever hit play. Chael Sonnen had brought up the topic before, raising a question that Dana White and the UFC rarely address: what happens when a champion withdraws for non-medical reasons?

The UFC legend’s argument was straightforward and procedural. After hearing the idea backstage at the UFC Apex, he began to approach the situation objectively, rather than emotionally. There are interim titles for injuries or illnesses. Personal absences do not fall within that category.

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‘The American Gangster’ feels that if a champion admits they are missing time for reasons other than health, the title cannot be frozen. He said on his YouTube channel, “The moment Ilia informs us that he is missing matches for anything outside of illness or injury, that’s when you strip him.” According to this perspective, there is no precedent for an interim champion to fill a personal absence.

The reluctance behind his argument made it more difficult to ignore. Chael Sonnen publicly stated that he did not want Ilia Topuria stripped. He acknowledged the gravity of his situation and offered sympathy for what the champion is going through. But pity, he argued, doesn’t keep divisions moving.