Ilia Topuria is vacating the UFC featherweight championship and making way for a new chapter in his career.
Last week, UFC CEO Dana White dropped major news, announcing Topuria’s monumental decision to leave behind his belt at 145 pounds in search for the one a weight class above. This caught many by surprise given the number of contenders left, as well Topuria’s dominance in the division. Topuria has long talked about wanting to challenge champion Islam Makhachev, and it looks like it wasn’t just talk.
What’s been the community’s sentiment around the big news? Should Topuira get an immediate title shot at lightweight, or does he need to prove his worth first against a contender?
MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, Danny Segura and host “Gorgeous” George discuss Topuria’s decision to move up to lightweight, along with a potential clash against Makhachev.
Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.
“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel at noon ET. You can also find each episode on your favorite podcast platforms – including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more – on Tuesday mornings.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
