Dustin Poirier on Ilia Topuria’s decision

Dustin Poirier addressed Ilia Topuria’s decision to vacate the featherweight belt and move up a division.

Dustin Poirier was recently in New York for an event organized by Samsung. During the event, Diamond gave a brief interview. Among other things, the American admitted that his next fight in the UFC, and the last fight of his career, should take place in the summer of 2025 in New Orleans.

Dustin Poirier was asked for his opinion on Ilia Topuria‘s decision. The leading lightweight fighter appreciated the move made by the Georgian Matador.

– With respect, I think it’s honorable that he vacated the belt. He did it not to hold back a division in which fighters do the hard work to get a chance to fight for the title. I think that’s the right way to go.

– I have never seen him in person whereas many people have told me that he weighs a lot on a daily basis. On the other hand, he was able to fill that limit. We’ll see how he’ll do now because in lightweight several guys are really big.

Diamond noted that although there are many strong fighters in the up to 70 kilogram category, if he were in charge of the juxtaposition he would immediately award Ilia Topuria a fight with Islam Makhachev.

– It’s hard to say, there are many contenders for the belt. You know the situation in the lightweight category in recent years. On the other hand, for a guy like Topuria, who vacated the belt and before that heavily knocked out Max Holloway…. well I would immediately give him a fight for the lightweight division belt.