ARTICLE AD BOX
It is expected that it will soon be known when and against whom Ilia Topuria will make his debut in the lightweight division. Recently, there have been rumors that his first opponent could be Charles Oliveira, while others have speculated that he will face Islam Makhachev immediately. But until the UFC presents an official confirmation, all this remains in the realm of speculation and unverified stories.
Matt Serra doubts the timeliness of the decision
The Spanish fighter will certainly bring an extra dose of excitement to the lightweight division, which is already incredibly competitive. However, there are also those who believe that the 27-year-old may have been too hasty with the transition from the featherweight division. Among them is the former UFC champion, Matt Serra, who believes that Ilia should have stayed in the featherweight division for a while longer.
Fans share the same opinion, but not all of them.
"I think it will be very interesting to see him at lightweight. However, I personally would like him to stay at featherweight for a while longer. He had huge wins over Volkanovski and Holloway, but I believe he decided to take that step up too soon. I'm not saying he can't win the lightweight title, but why not stay and further consolidate his dominance?" - said Serra in the podcast "The Overdogs".
If he had stayed in the featherweight division, Topuria would probably have had a chance for a rematch against Volkanovski, and Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev would have posed a threat to him. These would undoubtedly be attractive matches, but it seems that the audience will be deprived of these clashes. Now the only question remains; who will the young talent fight in the lightweight category and how will he cope in the new environment?
Given that the UFC usually does not delay with announcements of this type, it is expected that we will get answers to these questions very soon. One thing is certain; regardless of the opponent, Topuria will not have an easy task.
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