Ilia Topuria faced the rare situation of winning a title fight but leaving without the championship belt to call his own.
The Georgian fighter is widely regarded as one of the most impressive athletes in the UFC, maintaining an undefeated record throughout his career to date.
Topuria recently vacated the UFC Featherweight title to move up to Lightweight and is currently set to challenge Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC Lightweight belt at UFC 317.
However, ensuring he makes the required weight for that upcoming fight will be critical, as a similar failure cost him a title earlier in his career during a Cage Warriors bout.
Weight Miss Cost Topuria a Cage Warriors Belt
One of Topuria`s most remarkable wins occurred in a title contest where he didn`t end up with the belt, a consequence of his difficulty making weight for the division.
At the Cage Warriors 94 event in June 2018, Topuria competed against Brian Bouland for the vacant Cage Warriors Bantamweight title in a highly anticipated fight held in Antwerp, Belgium.
The Bantamweight championship had become available after its previous holder, Nathaniel Wood, vacated it upon signing with the UFC in April 2018.
Two years before making his own UFC debut, Topuria struggled to cut down to the 135 lb weight limit for the Bantamweight division. Competing at 135 lbs was a significant challenge for the Georgian fighter, who typically fought at 145 lbs.
Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in hitting the target weight. Topuria weighed in at 139.4 lbs, almost 5 lbs over the required limit. The fight was allowed to proceed, and the title was still technically on the line, but only Brian Bouland was eligible to win the championship if he defeated Topuria.
Here is a video of the fight:
Despite missing his chance to secure the belt on the scale, Topuria did not let the disappointment affect his performance in the cage.
It took him less than two minutes to take Brian Bouland`s back and successfully lock in an anaconda choke, finishing the fight via submission in the first round in a decisive victory.
Even with this clinical win, Topuria`s failure to make weight meant that he could not be awarded the Cage Warriors Bantamweight title. The belt remained vacant until Jack Shore claimed it later that year in Cardiff.
Topuria Rises to #3 in Pound-for-Pound Rankings After Jon Jones` Retirement
Following the retirement of Jon Jones from MMA, Ilia Topuria has climbed the ranks to become the #3 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.
Jon Jones, widely considered one of the greatest heavyweight champions in the sport`s history, previously held the #3 spot in the pound-for-pound rankings.
His retirement allowed Khamzat Chimaev to enter the rankings at #15, while Topuria inherited the third position previously held by “Bones”.
A potential win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 could propel Topuria even higher in the rankings, although surpassing former UFC Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at the top will present a significant challenge.
