Ilia Topuria is already looking beyond his upcoming lightweight title fight against Charles Oliveira, confidently declaring he'll handle any challenger the UFC puts in front of him. The Spanish-Georgian fighter will face Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound championship on June 28, but his ambitions clearly extend far beyond this single bout.
"I have no idea who might be my first title defense - it could be Arman Tsarukyan or Paddy Pimblett. Initially it was supposed to be Islam Makhachev, then Charles Oliveira. If Charles were to pull out, it would be Arman. But it doesn't matter... The result would be the same - I'll dance around all of them," Topuria stated during a WOW 20 press conference.
The former featherweight champion's move to lightweight mirrors what Islam Makhachev, the division's previous titleholder, has done by moving up to seek double-champion status. Many fans had hoped to see a Topuria-Makhachev showdown, but that matchup hasn't materialized.
Topuria's confidence seems unshakable as he prepares for Oliveira. "The camp is going super well. I've brought in sparring partners from different parts of the world. I'm going to collect what I've earned through my work," he added.
Interestingly, the 28-year-old fighter might not stop at lightweight domination. There are hints that Topuria could potentially move up to welterweight in the future, assuming the current champion would agree to the bout.
The lightweight division is currently stacked with contenders waiting for their shot at the title. Will Topuria's confidence be justified when he steps into the octagon against the dangerous former champion Oliveira? We'll find out next month when these two elite fighters clash for UFC gold.
