Former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria not too long ago made an look on the Ariel Helwani present, forward of his showdown with Charles Oliveira for the UFC light-weight title at UFC 317. On this interview, the Spanish-Georgian phenom would drop the trash-talking facade he often places on in pre-fight build-ups to be as honest as he may about Islam Makhachev’s transfer to welterweight in a bid to combat for the UFC welterweight title in opposition to Jack Della Maddalena.
Wherein Ilia Topuria believes the rationale Makhachev left the division was that he now not needed to endure wholesome weight cuts. The identical motive Topuria left the featherweight division.
“I don’t assume he’s ducking me, to be trustworthy. I might be mendacity to you if I instructed you that he’s ducking me. I feel he’s bored with the burden reduce. He needs a brand new problem. He moved to the welterweight division, failed, and thinks that he has an opportunity to turn out to be a double champion. I feel that is all he’s making an attempt to do. If Belal would have crushed Jack Della Maddalena, would you’ve been combating Islam this weekend? No, as a result of what we had been instructed was, if Belal remained welterweight champion, he would have stayed at 155 and he would have fought you. Do you imagine that? 100%. He wouldn’t have another choice. I feel that not lots of people perceive how onerous the burden reduce is. Whenever you get bored with the burden reduce, there’s no identify on the planet that motivates you to combat. There’s no cash on the planet—you simply need to care for your well being. That is the rationale why I switched weight courses, and I feel he’s doing the identical factor.”
The 2 dominant champions have comparable causes for his or her departures from the burden courses they as soon as dominated, as they’ve crushed probably the most notable names they may and now search better glory in opposition to larger opponents, with Ilia Topuria making an attempt to earn two-division champion standing.
Ilia Topuria is finished chopping weight, and perhaps everybody else is just too.
Weight cuts are nonetheless a controversial matter throughout all fight sports activities, as they provide vital benefits in opposition to those that don’t reduce a considerable quantity of weight or can’t reduce as a lot as somebody with particular genetics can. Nevertheless, with promotions like ONE Championship trying to alter the taking part in subject with their hydration exams, perhaps we’ll see modifications throughout the fight sports activities world, ought to these be confirmed to be as fail-proof as potential.
