At UFC 317, Ilia Topuria cemented himself as the new face of the UFC after brutally knocking out Charles Oliveira in the very first round. With that thunderous finish, ‘El Matador’ etched his name in the annals of history as the promotion’s 11th two-weight champion. In an era where the promotion is starved for global icons, Topuria has emerged as a much-needed savior. Now, with the lightweight belt around his waist, he not only reigns atop the division, but wait, perhaps over the entire UFC landscape.

How? Well, the promotion just dropped the updated UFC pound-for-pound and lightweight rankings, and in both tables, Ilia Topuria sits at the top. Yes, you heard that right, ‘El Matador’ has finally surpassed the Dagestani, as his victory over Charles Oliveira has propelled him to the #1 spot in the P4P rankings. Islam Makhachev now sits at #2, while Merab Dvalishvili has dropped to #3, with both fighters moving down one spot.

Charles Oliveira has dropped two spots in the P4P rankings and now stands at #15. But that’s not all, the entire lightweight landscape has shifted. With Ilia Topuria as the new champion, Islam Makhachev is now the number one contender, followed by Arman Tsarukyan. And guess what? Dustin Poirier is out of the top 5 for the first time in nearly four years. The last time he was ranked outside the top 5 was back in 2021, following his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.

In addition to this, Alexandre Pantoja has jumped four spots in the P4P rankings to sit at #5, just below Dricus Du Plessis. In the flyweight division, Joshua Van has made a massive leap of 11 positions to become the number one contender for the flyweight title. UFC 317 was monumental for multiple divisions, but with Ilia Topuria standing atop the P4P rankings, Islam Makhachev might be on high alert. So, what’s next for ‘El Matador’? Let’s find out.

What’s coming for Ilia Topuria as the new lightweight champion?

Arman Tsarukyan, Paddy Pimblett, or Justin Gaethje, these are the potential opponents lined up for the lightweight champion after his incredible victory at UFC 317. While Tsarukyan is the rightful lightweight contender, he may have to climb the ranks once again to earn another title shot. As for Gaethje, that matchup might not be too appealing for Topuria. So, what’s left? Well, it’s Paddy.

After Topuria grabbed the title, Paddy Pimblett stepped inside the ring to have a face-off with the Spanish-Georgian fighter—and guess what? Even ‘El Matador’ is interested in fighting the Briton. So, what about Islam Makhachev? Well, it appears that a fight might happen, just not now, “Realistically from all of the conversations I had with the UFC and how the situation has been throughout the whole process, I don’t think that fight is gonna happen, I will be surprised if I get a call and they tell me I’m gonna fight against Islam, which I would love to do it,” Topuria told ESPN MMA.

Islam Makhachev is focused on getting his hands on the welterweight title, and UFC CEO Dana White might make the fight happen, provided both champions successfully defend their titles at least once. Until then, nothing is certain. Regardless, the lightweight division is about to witness a storm, but are they ready for it? What do you think? Let us know.