'Disrespectful' Topuria Trying To Dig Up 'Do Bronx' Fight

03/28/2025 08:03 AM

A war of words is heating up between two of the top contenders for the lightweight title. Will it end in a fight?

Ilia Topuria relinquished his featherweight title over a month ago, and he's still waiting to hear whether he'll be fighting for the lightweight title or not. If not, he's building up quite the feud with former 155 pound champion and current top contender Charles Oliveira.

Topuria and Oliveira got into following UFC London after "Do Bronx" said he wanted to fight current champ Islam Makhachev.

"Topuria is a very tough guy, he deserves all the respect in the world," Oliveira said. "But right now, I don't see it as a big fight. And if I'm looking for a title, well, I have to fight Makhachev in order to win and become champion again."

"Charles, it's better if you stay quiet," Topuria responded on social media. "You have 10 losses: 5 by knockout, 4 by submission, and 1 by decision. You are the contender, while I am the champion, the father of the entire division. I haven't come here to ask for anything. Here, I am the one in charge."

On a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Oliveira replied to Topuria's diss.

"My story is written there, everybody can see it," Oliveira said through a translator. "He's coming from a champion of featherweight division, and now trying to come up and show this. I have firepower in my [hands], and I'm really focused on the belt itself. It's not about who it's going to be on my way, but getting the belt. He's just trying to dig out a fight. He's saying a lot of crap."

"I really respect his fights, the way he's come up and everything, but he's being very disrespectful now and is saying a lot of things that he shouldn't."

"Bottom line is Makhachev is the guy that has to be beat," Oliveira concluded. "If [Topuria] is the next one to fight him, then so be it. I'm just an employee here. If he's given the chance and not me, I'm going to keep fighting, keep preparing and keep waiting for my turn to come around. It is what it is. I don't think much about it. I'll fight whoever comes to fight me and that's about it."

While both men are looking to fight Makhachev, Makhachev is waiting to see if a move up to welterweight is next. Topuria recently said an Oliveira fight is the backup option.

"All my training is focused on Islam or Charles, I don't see any other opponents," Topuria told the press at a media event. "Neither of them dares to fight me. These are the symptoms of fear, we all know that. But it's normal. I'd be scared too."