Topuria has vacated the undisputed featherweight title and moved up to 155 pounds in a bid to capture the lightweight strap. And with the belt lying vacant after Islam Makhachev decided to make a similar move up to welterweight, Topuria will face former champion Oliveira for the vacant title.
Their bout headlines UFC 317 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and given Makhachev’s recent departure from the 155-pound class, Topuria said that Oliveira represents the best of the lightweight division as it stands.
“A hundred percent he’s the best lightweight right now, if we don’t count Islam,” he said.
“He’s the best after him.”
Oliveira will be determined to reclaim the title he never lost in the Octagon, and will be expected to bring the fight straight to Topuria as he looks to impose his size advantage over the Spanish-Georgian.
Topuria knows that, too, and had previously stated tha Oliveira’s come-forward approach will only make his life easier. And, once Oliveira steps into range, Topuria said his gameplan will take over from the Brazilian’s.
“He’s going to try to walk forward. He’s not going to find a way to do it,” he said.
“I’m going to make him play my game, as I said.”
Topuria cut a relaxed, confident figure during his media day session at the UFC APEX, and explained just how much better he feels as a result of making the move up from 145 to 155 pounds.
“It’s been two different worlds, featherweight and lightweight,” he explained.
“I have been able to enjoy the whole process. Even today I feel good. When I was fighting in the featherweight division, at this point I was feeling really, really bad. So yeah, I think I made a great decision.”
Victory for Topuria will see him capture the lightweight crown, and talk will intensify over a potential clash with England’s Paddy Pimblett.
The pair had a widely-reported bust-up at the fighter hotel in London back in 2022, and there has been a simmering rivalry between the pair ever since.
However, that beef appears to have cooled somewhat, with the pair sharing a fist-bump on stage as they briefly crossed paths at the UFC London weigh-ins earlier this year. And while Topuria stated that he doesn’t hold any personal grudges, he recognises the level of interest in a title fight between the pair.
But, before that can happen, Topuria said Pimblett needs to get one more win – and even suggested the ideal opponent for the Liverpudlian as a qualifying bout to earn a shot at the gold.
“That fight (with Pimblett) easily could be one of the biggest in UFC history,” he stated.
“Listen, I don’t usually take anything personally in this game. It’s all professional. If he wants to assure his title shot, he has to fight with Justin Gaethje.
“Because if he fights with Arman (Tsarukyan), I think that Arman is going to beat him. The easiest path he has right now to get the title shot is Justin Gaethje, stylistically.”
