Ilia Topuria Reveals Real Reason for UFC Lightweight Move

Ilia Topuria has revealed the reasoning behind his move to the UFC lightweight division — this decision comes ahead of his major bout against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.

This significant clash will take place at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas during the morning hours Indonesia time. While many speculated the move was related to ambitions for the belt vacated by Islam Makhachev, the reality differs.

The 28-year-old fighter acknowledged that health factors and comfort were the main drivers — he had long struggled with the weight cutting process in the featherweight division.

In his previous class, Topuria had to work hard to maintain his weight below 145 pounds — the maximum limit for weigh-ins. This process required fighters to undergo strict dieting, limit water intake, and spend time in the sauna.