Ilia Topuria says UFC begged him not to mention welterweight move

Ilia Topuria has big plans to one day become a UFC three-division champion, but it looks like that goal will have to wait.

After defeating Charles Oliveira in the first round at UFC 317 to win the vacant lightweight title, the 27-year-old revealed that he had already considered moving up a division. However, the leaders of the most powerful MMA organization had other ideas.

“I thought about it,” he said on About Last Fight. “But in the last conversation I had with the UFC, they asked me a favor personally, they said, ‘Please, don’t say after the fight that you want to move up to welterweight. Promise us.’ And I said, ‘I promise,’ but I was crossing my fingers.”

While he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of one day trying his hand at welterweight, for now he remains focused on what he just won – lightweight. “It could happen one day,” he added shortly.

Pimblett draws attention

Right after the fight with Oliveira ended, one of the UFC’s most vocal fighters entered the octagon – Paddy Pimblett. The crowd immediately realized that this fight could be the next big showdown.

“That’s a guy I’m going to really enjoy punching in the face,” the champion said. “I’m going to really, really enjoy this fight. I know I can do whatever I want to him. Tell me, kid, what you want me to do to you. I’ll do whatever I want. I don’t want to use words anymore.”

When Justin Gaethje’s name was mentioned as a potential challenger, the champion didn’t stay serious.

“The only thing I get is that you don’t like that guy,” Topuria said with a laugh. “Because I don’t know why you’d want to put him against me.”

Words like these will surely provoke a reaction from Justin Gaethje, who can't be happy with this kind of reaction from a potential opponent.