Last week, UFC featherweight king Ilia Topuria reached the pinnacle of his career, having not only dispatched former champion and current BMF titleholder Max Holloway into the shadow realm but also being the leader of a new era at 145lbs. However, his journey in this division is not yet complete, as a few challenges might still await him.
Diego Lopez and top-ranked contender Alexander Volkanovski are rumored to be next for him, with Topuria seeming more focused on facing Volkanovski, whom he labeled a “deserving candidate” for the title shot at the upcoming UFC event in Australia next year.
Yet, with the latest news from UFC insider and fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen, the situation in the featherweight division has taken a turn. Sonnen recently revealed that there are discussions about an interim title fight in Australia, stating, “Now we’re hearing rumors about an interim champion. Bringing him together, let’s go out to Australia. In fact, remove a healthy, unwilling Ilia Topuria. That’s the way the story goes. I have a hard time believing that, but the way the story goes is that Ilia Topuria is healthy—he is not sick, he is not injured.”
This comment seems to wash away the hopes of MMA fans in Australia wanting to see Topuria face Holloway in the octagon.
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