Ilia Topuria once experienced the peculiar situation of winning a championship fight but not receiving the title belt.
The undefeated Georgian fighter is widely regarded as one of the UFC`s most impressive athletes.
Ilia Topuria is reported to have vacated the UFC Featherweight title to move up to Lightweight and is slated to challenge Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC Lightweight belt at UFC 317.
However, making the required weight will be crucial for that upcoming fight, as Topuria previously faced consequences for missing weight in a Cage Warriors title bout earlier in his career.
The Weight Miss That Cost Ilia Topuria a Cage Warriors Title
One notable victory for Topuria occurred in a title fight where, despite winning, he did not claim the championship because he failed to make the required weight.
At Cage Warriors 94 in June 2018, Topuria fought Brian Bouland for the vacant Bantamweight title in a much-anticipated contest held in Antwerp, Belgium.
The Bantamweight title had become available after Nathaniel Wood vacated it upon signing with the UFC in April 2018.
Roughly two years before joining the UFC, Topuria found it difficult to reach the 135 lb Bantamweight limit. As he typically competed at 145 lbs, cutting the additional ten pounds proved challenging.
Unfortunately, he did not succeed. Topuria weighed in significantly over the limit at 139.4 lb, nearly 5 lbs too heavy. While the fight proceeded with the title still contested, only Bouland was eligible to become champion if he won.
Despite this setback regarding the title opportunity, Topuria remained focused.
In less than two minutes of the first round, he secured an anaconda choke on Bouland, rendering the Frenchman unconscious in a dominant performance.
Although Topuria secured a clear victory, his failure to make weight meant the Cage Warriors Bantamweight title remained vacant until Jack Shore claimed it later that year in Cardiff.
Ilia Topuria Rises to #3 in UFC Pound-for-Pound Rankings Following Jon Jones` Retirement
Following Jon Jones` retirement from mixed martial arts, Ilia Topuria ascended to the #3 position in the official UFC pound-for-pound rankings.
Previously, Jones held the #3 spot and is widely considered among the greatest heavyweight champions in the sport`s history.
His retirement also led to Khamzat Chimaev entering the rankings at #15, while Topuria moved into the third position formerly held by “Bones” Jones.
A potential victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 could potentially elevate Topuria further, though surpassing former Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at the top may prove difficult.
