Ilia Topuria is at the pinnacle of the world of mixed martial arts after his victory at UFC 317, where he became the lightweight champion by defeating Charles Oliveira. This victory not only earned him the 155-pound belt, but also propelled him to the No. 1 spot in the UFC's prestigious pound-for-pound ranking, where he dethroned Islam Makhachev, the former champion. The aforementioned ranking, although media-oriented, highlights the quality of the fighters regardless of their weight class and generates great anticipation in the MMA community.
Makhachev has not been slow to comment on the new hierarchy, suggesting that his drop in the rankings is the result of a marketing strategy to generate interest in a future bout with Topuria. The former champion, who has dominated the lightweight division since 2022, has decided to vacate his title to challenge himself in a new weight class: welterweight. Although his title fight against Jack Della Madalena still has no confirmed date, fans already anticipate a monumental showdown that could define the true hierarchy in mixed martial arts.
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