Ilia Topuria’s decision to drop UFC featherweight title is delusional, says top MMA coach

Ilia Topuria’s decision to drop the UFC featherweight title may have come from a place of delusion, says one MMA coach.

Dana White recently announced the main event of UFC 313 will be a battle between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. They will be competing for the vacant UFC Featherweight Championship. White said that Topuria made the decision to relinquish his featherweight gold because he wanted to move up to lightweight.

One renowned MMA coach believes some delusion may have led to Topuria giving up the 145-pound title.

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Din Thomas Says Delusion Played Role in Ilia Topuria’s Decision

During an interview with MMAJunkie.com, Din Thomas suggested that some delusion played a role in Ilia Topuria’s decision to relinquish the UFC Featherweight Championship.

“It’s wild to me that he’s giving this up now,” Thomas told MMA Junkie. “There’s no way a guy gives up pay-per-view points and his status as UFC champion, this soon, for no apparent reason, and no real reason other than he can’t make the weight. I don’t necessarily buy that. He’s a young guy. It may be uncomfortable for him to make the weight, but I don’t necessarily believe that he can’t make the weight.

“But if he wants to go up? Let him go up, but it comes from a place of just, that Jon Jones level of confidence, and maybe a bit of delusion that you have to have to be a good fighter. But to think that you are just going to give up the belt, and ‘No problem, I’ll just go get it at lightweight,’ is such a wild way, such a crazy, delusional way of thinking.”

Ariel Helwani reported the UFC brass have been discussing a UFC lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Topuria. Helwani noted the matchup could happen as early as International Fight Week. We’ll keep you up to speed with the latest updates on what’s next for Ilia Topuria.