Ilia Topuria should get immediate UFC lightweight title shot, says Dustin Poirier

Ilia Topuria should be given an immediate shot at the undisputed UFC lightweight title in his next bout.

That's the view of former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier, who chatted about Spanish-Georgian superstar Topuria's decision to vacate the undisputed featherweight champion in order to move up to 155 pounds, with immediate effect.

Plenty of other champions have looked to add a second title to their resume while still holding on to their first championship belt. But, as Poirier told MMA Fighting's Jose Youngs, Topuria's decision to vacate the title should be applauded, as the now-former champion moves on to pastures new, and is letting his old weight class move on without him.

"I mean, it's respectful," Poirier explained.

"It's honorable to vacate the belt, to not hold up the vision where guys been working so hard to get their shot at the title.

"He's doing it the right way, you know? And I've never seen him in person. Everybody says he's heavy. He walks around heavy, but if he can make 145, I don't know how big he is, because some of these lightweights are huge."

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The big question regarding Topuria concerns how he'll be booked in his first bout since vacating his featherweight title. Some, including Islam Makhachev's manager Rizvan Magomedov, have suggested that the former 145-pound king should prove his worth in his new weight class before attempting to dethrone the champion.

But others think that Topuria wouldn't vacate a UFC world title to move up a weight class without an immediate title shot waiting for him in his new division.

Poirier tends to subscribe to the latter view, and said that Topuria's body of work in his recent fights makes a compelling case for him to be handed an immediate shot at Makhachev.

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"That's tough to say, especially like with all the contenders how the lightweight division's been over the last few years," Poirier admitted.

"But with the guy like him vacating the boat and moving up, finishing Max Holloway the way he did. I would give him a crack at the at the lightweight title right off the bat."

At the time of writing, there has been no news on Topuria's first assignment since vacating the 145-pound crown. But the smart money is on him challenging Makhachev for the 155-pound title in his first outing, with the bout likely to take place during the summer, potentially at UFC 317 at UFC International Fight Week on June 28.

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