What is the deal with Topuria and the FW title?

Cartiac

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Can someone explain to me what the fuck is going on here? It was just a year ago Topuria became a UFC Champion and only 5 months ago defended his title with a stunning destruction of Max Holloway. He is a young UFC Champion and the financial benefits from holding that title are huge. There is absolutely no way he is willingly vacating that title.

So what is the word on why UFC is stripping Topuria, one of the only exciting fighters they have, of his title?
 
He's not being stripped. He is vacating the belt to move up to 155 because the cut is getting difficult. Volk vs Lopes is for the vacant FW strap.

Yea I know the official UFC statement but it is BS, no one just vacates the belt they worked their whole life to earn and gives them huge financial benefits. Volk fought up at 155 twice while still holding the FW belt. There is no way Topuria does not want the opportunity to match Conor's achievement of holding two belts. Topuria is being stripped.
 
For whatever reason, UFC is dragging their feet on this amazing opportunity. Probably because either 1) they're stupid, or 2) Turki Al-Sheikh specifically wants to keep Islam as the 155 champ.

They are not exactly dragging their feet since Islam just fought 2 months ago and that is very likely the fight that will be announced next. What doesn't make sense is that fight is much more valuable as champ vs champ fight than Champ vs former FW champ. Ilia also loses hundreds of thousands if not millions by giving up the champion title and pay that goes with it. It doesn't make any sense.
 
It seems like he's gonna be fighting in a LW title eliminator next, and the UFC probably didn't want him holding up the FW division for too long if that's the case.
 
Topuria's confidence and self belief is next level.
He gives up his belt and is not even guaranteed the shot.
He changes his nickname to "legend" in Spanish, which is legendary jinx in itself and just the corniest nickname you can get but it takes balls to call yourself that while awaiting these monster matchups a weight class above.
He has that young Conor confidence in him and he doesn't seem to be crushed by the pressure but thrives on it.

Can't wait to see him fight at 155 to see what he can do. Whether he is going to get crushed and leyend will be a meme or the opposite.
 
Yea I know the official UFC statement but it is BS, no one just vacates the belt they worked their whole life to earn and gives them huge financial benefits. Volk fought up at 155 twice while still holding the FW belt. There is no way Topuria does not want the opportunity to match Conor's achievement of holding two belts. Topuria is being stripped.
Well whatever you may think, Ilia agreed to it, so it's not like he's being forced to give up the FW belt. He obviously thinks moving up to 155 is the best career move for him, & cutting to 145 & fighting at 145 does nothing for him anymore.

I would love for Ilia to hold on to the 145 belt & fight Islam in a champion vs champion fight, but it would hold up the FW division potentially, & Ilia obviously doesn't mind giving up the FW belt to fight at LW.
 
For whatever reason, UFC is dragging their feet on this amazing opportunity. Probably because either 1) they're stupid, or 2) Turki Al-Sheikh specifically wants to keep Islam as the 155 champ.
You know, I hadn't even thought about that and it makes perfect sense. These sneaky sons of beaches!!🐫

Also, TS is playing dumb. Everyone knows Tupperware dropped the FW strap for mysterious reasons🥀
 
The ufc believes volk is the most popular and profitable fw fighter besides Ortega and the ufc strong armed top to vacate the fw belt because he knocked out two of the most popular fw fighters ever (volk and max).

This is all a power play by ufc to get the fw goat (volk) back to champion.
 
It seems like he's gonna be fighting in a LW title eliminator next, and the UFC probably didn't want him holding up the FW division for too long if that's the case.

Why the hell would you take your young, PPV headlining, legend killing champ and put him in a mid card fight? Lack of fighters capable of headlining PPVs is UFC biggest problem so why would they squash one of those guys at the height of his career? There is already a strong comparison between Ilia and Conor and the marketing value of promoting that comparison with Ilia attempting to become double champ is huge.

Obviously there is a reason Dana runs the UFC and not me, maybe Ilia banged his daughter, I don't know, but I just don't get this one.
 
He vacated, the decision to move up for good its on him, they have not made it official as Volk vs Lopes hasnt happened yet, he is still listed as Champion everywhere.

They are not exactly dragging their feet since Islam just fought 2 months ago and that is very likely the fight that will be announced next. What doesn't make sense is that fight is much more valuable as champ vs champ fight than Champ vs former FW champ. Ilia also loses hundreds of thousands if not millions by giving up the champion title and pay that goes with it. It doesn't make any sense.
The whole "championship pay" is just a way to put it for the lower end of the scale popularity wise, once guys touch gold the contract (and pay) gets negotiated accordingly, for a non champion its complicated to get to that level if they are not a draw, but its certainly not set in stone, fighters get what they negotiate, some champions dont even get PPV points.
 
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The ufc believes volk is the most popular and profitable fw fighter besides Ortega and the ufc strong armed top to vacate the fw belt because he knocked out two of the most popular fw fighters ever (volk and max).

This is all a power play by ufc to get the fw goat (volk) back to champion.

Very well could be the case, but they need to be working on their reasoning for why Lopes vacates the belt as well after he easily floors Volk
 
The ufc believes volk is the most popular and profitable fw fighter besides Ortega and the ufc strong armed top to vacate the fw belt because he knocked out two of the most popular fw fighters ever (volk and max).

This is all a power play by ufc to get the fw goat (volk) back to champion.
Not when Lopes knocks him out

Watch
 
Yea I know the official UFC statement but it is BS, no one just vacates the belt they worked their whole life to earn and gives them huge financial benefits. Volk fought up at 155 twice while still holding the FW belt. There is no way Topuria does not want the opportunity to match Conor's achievement of holding two belts. Topuria is being stripped.
He doesn't want to fight or can't fight at 145 lbs again. Why let him hold a belt he won't defend? That is only reserved for McGregor and as much as Ilia is desperate to be Conor, copying his tats, copying his arrogance, etc, etc he is not the draw that McGregor was. The UFC also seems to have decided to go back to one division at a time for champions.
 
Why the hell would you take your young, PPV headlining, legend killing champ and put him in a mid card fight? Lack of fighters capable of headlining PPVs is UFC biggest problem so why would they squash one of those guys at the height of his career? There is already a strong comparison between Ilia and Conor and the marketing value of promoting that comparison with Ilia attempting to become double champ is huge.

Obviously there is a reason Dana runs the UFC and not me, maybe Ilia banged his daughter, I don't know, but I just don't get this one.
He won't be mid card just because he doesn't have the title, whoever Ilia faces it will be a co-main at least. A fight like Ilia vs Charles could even headline.
 
He won't be mid card just because he doesn't have the title, whoever Ilia faces it will be a co-main at least. A fight like Ilia vs Charles could even headline.
Ilia vs Charles cannot headline a PPV. PPV main events have to be for a title which I just realized is exactly the reason Ilia is being stripped.

PPV main events have to be a title fight, but UFC could not get a champion to fight on 314 so they are robbing Ilia of his belt just so they can claim a title fight for 314.
 
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