How powerful Ilia Topuria is? Just ask Alexander Volkanovski. At the UFC 298 last February, Volkanovski saw his 4-year reign of defending five featherweight belts crumble in front of the Georgian-Spaniard. And how did he do that? A second-round knockout with 1:28 left. Well, he did promise an early knockout ahead of the fight. Throughout the matchup, Volkanovski, whom many consider the best-ever featherweight, found himself overwhelmed with a devastating series of strikes from El Matador.

Topuria displayed his power in the 4th minute of the 2nd round. After blitzing forward with a combination of punches which had the champ backing up against the cage, Topuria landed a hook that sent him down in a heap. “They’re going to tell you can’t do it. They’re going to knock you down and doubt you. But guess what? The only person you need to have your back in this life is yourself. Just trust yourself, work tirelessly, have faith and everything is possible. Look at me now,” Topuria said after the win. Is he going to get the chance to repeat those words? Might be, because naysaying has already started after he decided to vacate his featherweight belt and move to lightweight.

Just a week back, Paddy Pimblett threw his name into the mix of Topuria’s potential opponents. “People don’t understand how much bigger I am than Ilia. I’m so much bigger than him—people don’t realize. I’d love to do a stare-down with him, just so everyone can see how much bigger I actually am than him,” the English fighter surprised everyone. Paddy is 178 cm tall, against Ilia’s 170. An undefeated (6-0) Paddy is poised to make 2025 his breakout year and a fight (read win) will definitely elevate him among the elites. Interestingly, Islam Makhachev, Ilia’s potential opponent, also harped on the same note.

Last year, when Makhachev was asked about the possibility of a fight against Topuria, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world replied, “Oh man, I’m tired of giving chances to small guys.” Fight fans surely remember that he famously fought then-featherweight champion Volkanovski in his first two lightweight title defenses, winning the first via unanimous decision and then the rematch via first-round knockout. Standing at 178cm Makhachev was significantly taller than Volkanovski (168cm). The point is, Ilia is nearly of similar height to that of Volkanovski. But knowing Ilia firsthand, Volkanovski’s coach, Joe Lopez thinks his skillset will overshadow his height disadvantage.

“It’s a hard one, you know because Ilia has got that knockout power. You know (if) he lands one on anybody, you know it’s goodnight. And he’s got pretty good wrestling, you know, and he’s hard to take down, so it’d be an interesting matchup. Especially coming up in weight he’s going to be a lot stronger,” Lopez told Submission Radio.

Interesting, sure, but there’s a difference between “hard to take down” and Dagestan-built champ. The reigning lightweight king isn’t just a solid grappler. He’s a suffocating, technical nightmare who’s made elite fighters look helpless. ‘El Matador’ might trust his wrestling, but he’s never had it tested at this level. He’s stepping into the shark tank of lightweight, eyeing the Dagestani champ. Interestingly, Lopez noted, “I guess he’s won that title, and he wants to follow the same path as (Conor) McGregor – and good luck to him if he makes that much money. I’d do it as well.”

With the 145-pound belt now up for grabs at UFC 314, ‘The Great’ steps back into the spotlight, headlining against Diego Lopes in a bid to reclaim the title he lost to Topuria at UFC 298. For the former champ, this is more than just another fight, it’s a statement. A chance to remind everyone why he ruled for so long. The Brazilian, however, has plans of his own, riding his momentum into championship territory. With five consecutive wins, including two knockouts and a submission. But before we get ahead of ourselves, the real question remains, is Ilia heading straight into a rude awakening?

Is Ilia Topuria running from or towards greatness?

There’s a fine line between chasing history and jumping ship before the competition catches up. Topuria’s dominance at featherweight is undeniable, but was this move to 155lbs a power play, or a well-timed exit before threats like Movsar Evloev and a better-equipped and well-rested Volkanovski closed in? UFC head honcho, always the hype man, is selling this move as a career-defining step. “So Topuria will be moving up to 155lbs and will be vacating the featherweight title,” he confirmed.

Conveniently, Ariel Helwani has already hinted that an Islam vs. Ilia showdown is in the works, possibly as soon as International Fight Week in June for UFC 317. On paper, it’s a dream fight. The P4P #1 needs a fresh, marketable challenger. Ilia Topuria is young, undefeated, and carries undeniable star power. But let’s not kid ourselves, this isn’t some effortless jump.

If the Georgian thinks he can bulldoze through Islam the way he did Volkanovski, he might be in for a nasty reality check. Meanwhile, Volkanovski finds himself in a unique position. ‘Stripped’ of his title in February, he now has a chance to reclaim it against Lopes at UFC 314. But even with gold around his waist again, what’s next? Does he attempt another title run at a weight class he once ruled, or is 145lbs ready to move past him?

For Volk, this is about cementing his legacy in an evolving division. The featherweight and lightweight landscape is shifting fast. UFC 314 features fights like Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett and the promotional debut of Bellator legend Patricio Pitbull against Yair Rodriguez. The division that Volk once controlled with an iron grip is now brimming with new threats. If he wins, will he stick around and defend against them? Or will 155 come calling again?

One thing’s for sure, the featherweight division will be watching closely, waiting to see if their former king reclaims his throne or if a new era has truly begun. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.