Ilia Topuria has confirmed that preparations for his next fight are officially underway. The former featherweight champion hasn’t fought since defending his belt by knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308 last October. Since then, he’s relinquished the 145lb strap and announced a move up to the lightweight division.
Topuria claims he was promised an immediate title shot in his new weight class. However, 155lb king Islam Makhachev has repeatedly distanced himself from the matchup because he’s already fought several former featherweights.
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Topuria took to X – formerly known as Twitter – with an exciting four-word update. “The camp has begun,” he wrote to send fight fans into a speculative meltdown. MMA reporter Álvaro Colmenero subsequently claimed Topuria will fight at UFC 317 on June 28.
“Ilia Topuria will be fighting at International Fight Week, for a title I am told,” he added. Later, Ariel Helwani suggested Topuria’s return has been whittled down to two potential opponents, while insisting some form of title will be on the line when he fights at lightweight for the first time since knocking out Jai Herbert in 2022.
“As discussed on the show today, Ilia is going to fight on June 28,” the veteran MMA journalist wrote. “The question is, will it be against Islam for the 155 belt, or will it be against Charles [Oliveira] for the vacant? We should know soon. But he should 100% be on there and he should 100% fight for gold.”
Meanwhile, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is currently preparing to defend his belt in a rematch with Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 on June 7. Still, he recently took some time out to talk about Topuria’s move up to a new division. Dvalishvili questioned Makhachev’s reason for avoiding his Georgian compatriot as he talked up their potential clash as a ‘superfight.’
“He’s saying he’s not a featherweight, he’s lightweight and he’s champion,” Dvalishvili told the Fight Back Podcast. “I know Islam is saying, ‘Oh, I don’t want to fight small guys.’ But Ilia is f—— the biggest name.”
“He already beat Arman [Tsarukyan]. He beat Oliveira. He beat Dustin [Poirier]. It’s not going to be an easy fight for Ilia, but that’s the fight to [make]. Ilia’s my friend, I love him, but it’s going to be stupid if he fights Oliveira, if he loses to Oliveira. This is the superfight.”
Topuria is expected to make his return at UFC 317 during International Fight Week this summer — in a yet-to-be determined championship fight for the unbeaten Spaniard. Topuria, who vacated the featherweight championship earlier in April 2025, saw former foe, Alexander Volkanovski scoop the championship for the second time, landing a unanimous decision win over Diego Lopes in the pair’s vacant championship matchup at UFC 314.
As he targets a lightweight move in his return to action, unbeaten finisher Topuria has been steadfast in his pursuit of a showdown with pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev — in an immediate title fight in his sophomore lightweight pairing.
With the stakes high and the anticipation building, fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of Topuria's opponent and the title implications of his upcoming fight. Will he secure a shot at the lightweight title, or will he face a formidable challenge in Oliveira? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: Ilia Topuria's journey in the lightweight division is just beginning.
