From the looks of it, he seems like a nice guy. And all for our sakes, thank heavens for that. We’re, of course, talking about Ilia Topuria, the man wreaking havoc at featherweight. In the history of the division, there hasn’t been as dangerous of a fighter as prime Jose Aldo or ‘featherweight Conor’. Yet here we are with Topuria. Since 2020, ‘El Matador’ has been the one leaving destruction in his wake, striking fear into the rest of the division with each performance inside the Octagon. But you don’t just need to ask the featherweights to know about his power. UFC welterweight legend Jorge Masvidal witnessed that power firsthand when he trained with the Georgian-Spanish champ. Needless to say, the former BMF champion was startled at how hard the featherweight king punches.

So now Ilia Topuria is talking about a move up to lightweight. Not only that, he wants to become the first three-weight champion. Two weight classes up is welterweight. Lightweight’s believable. Remember his fight against Jai Herbert where he sent the Englishman into the shadow realm at UFC Fight Night 204? Yeah, that was his lightweight debut. But welterweight? Shouldn’t be a problem, according to ‘Gamebred’. Speaking to the JAXXON Podcast, Jorge Masvidal talked about how Ilia Topuria’s power could be a problem in any division he fights in.

“I’ve trained with him like numerous times. You know when you go with somebody who’s just like dense. It’s not even that they’re throwing hard. You’re just working out – you can feel like, this dude like his bones were extra f**king 50 pounds than everybody else, you know? He’s just a dense f**ker.”, said Masvidal, before adding, “So since I was, like, training with him, wrestling with him, I’m like, ‘Man, f**k, he hits like a 170 pounder and he’s 145.”

“Obviously, in a fight, you don’t know if he’s going to get to connect. But I’m, always in the back of my mind, like, ‘If this guy connects on these 45-pounders, probably he’s going to change them up. Because I remember feeling his power at 170, three or four weeks before a fight and I’m like, this guy can crack, for real. Like, he could f**king crack, you know?”, ‘Gamebred’ said, spelling an ominous future for Topuria’s future contenders.

And with Topuria gunning for Islam Makhachev’s belt, it’s no secret that he wants to continue testing his power at heavier weight classes. Of course, the lightweight champion is in no mood to welcome fighters stepping up from a lower weight class. But that doesn’t mean that the fight is completely off the books. This is the UFC, after all, and Dana White is no stranger to putting together super fights. But what does the future hold for the featherweight champion?

2025 is Ilia Topuria’s year?

The year 2024 was one to remember. Championship belts changed hands in unforgettable battles, creating some of the most talked-about moments in MMA history. But one recurring theme stood out—many champions found themselves facing challengers from different weight classes, including those vying for the coveted BMF title. Among the most notable cross-division storylines is Ilia Topuria’s bold pursuit of a showdown with lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, a fight that could shake up multiple divisions and add another layer to Topuria’s growing legacy.

‘El Matador’ crossed paths with the man known for his hands of stone in Sydney at UFC 312. As two undisputed champions, they naturally seized the moment, posing for a photo that quickly made its way to their social media profiles. Alex Pereira later took to X, sharing the image with a bold caption: “2024 was ours. CHAMA 🔥,” signaling their dominance throughout the year.

However, the Georgian-Spanish champion has his eyes set on a much bigger goal next. He shared the aura-rich picture on his Instagram profile but had a different caption that read, “I hope you enjoyed our 2024, but 2025 will be even better!!!”  Is he hinting at a potential clash with Islam Makhachev next? Or does he have something else in his mind?

What do you think? Will Ilia Topuria be double-champ by this year’s end? Will he eventually become the promotion’s first triple-champ? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.