The countdown has officially begun for Ilia Topuria's highly anticipated lightweight debut this year. The Spanish-Georgian fighter is set to enter the octagon in June 2025, though uncertainty remains about who will stand across from him at UFC 317.
Current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has yet to commit to facing Topuria, as he awaits the outcome of UFC 315's welterweight championship bout on May 11. Depending on the results, Makhachev will either defend his 155-pound title against 'The Legend' Topuria or vacate the belt to pursue opportunities in a higher weight class.
Should Makhachev relinquish the lightweight crown, Topuria would instead face another top contender. Former champion Charles Oliveira appears to be the frontrunner, having positioned himself for a title shot after defeating Michael Chandler late last year.
However, division rankings leader Arman Tsarukyan has publicly staked his claim for a championship opportunity. The Armenian fighter was originally scheduled to challenge Makhachev at UFC 311 but suffered an untimely injury just before the event, with Renato Moicano stepping in as a replacement.
Tsarukyan recently outlined his perspective during an interview on 'Monk3channel': 'If Belal loses, Makhachev will fight Jack della Maddalena, and I will fight for the vacant title against Topuria.' Despite this assertion, Oliveira seems to have priority in the contender queue, having synchronized his training camp start with Topuria's preparations.
According to Statbet analysis, Topuria's decision to vacate his featherweight championship significantly increases his historical opportunity, as only a handful of UFC fighters have successfully captured titles in multiple weight divisions.
The UFC reportedly promised Topuria a lightweight title shot in exchange for vacating his featherweight championship. True to their word, Dana White and the organization have scheduled Topuria's lightweight championship bout for June 28 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during the prestigious International Fight Week.
