Ilia Topuria hopes to bring a new type of title to the UFC.
In 2019, Nate Diaz made MMA history, inventing the BMF title after his win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 241. The UFC quickly co-opted the idea, creating an actual belt and awarding it to Jorge Masvidal after he defeated Diaz at UFC 244. Since then, the BMF belt has become a staple of the UFC, and now Topuria wants to create his own title.
“The perfect scenario for me would be fighting [Islam Makhachev] in the welterweight division, because that way I’m going to be able to collect my third belt,” Topuria said during an Adin Ross live stream. “But also, it would be a great scenario for me to fight between 155 and 170 and create a new belt. Why not call it pound-for-pound? Because he’s the No. 1, I’m the No. 2 right now. For me, I’m the No. 1. But you put two of the best guys in the world, you put the pound-for-pound belt in the middle, whoever wins is the best.”
Historically, Dana White has been adamantly opposed to creating a 165-pound weight class, which is close to what Topuria is suggesting here. And the UFC has also seemed cool on the idea of Topuria moving up in weight yet again, after only jumping up to 155 pounds a year ago, so Topuria may have to wait for his dream to come true. But if so, there’s another thing Nate Diaz did that Topuria would like to follow, if he has his druthers.
“You know who I would love to face? Conor,” Topuria said. “I would love to have those exchanges with him. I would love that fight. What, he’s going to shoot for a takedown? No. I wouldn’t.”
The first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history, and the first man to win the featherweight and lightweight titles, McGregor has been a constant point of comparison for Topuria throughout his career. However, McGregor has not competed since shattering his leg at UFC 264 in 2021. McGregor is expected to return to action later this year.
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