Ilia Topuria Says Fight Camp Underway As Rumors Of UFC 317 Fight Emerge

Ilia Topuria has announced that his fight camp is underway as rumors he is set to fight at UFC 317 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas on June 28th intensify.

“The camp has begun,” Topuria announced on Tuesday, a few days after an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast in which the former featherweight champion had appeared adamant that he was going to fight lightweight champion Islam Makhachev next.

And well-connected Spanish MMA reporter Alvaro Colmenero has since suggested that a title opportunity is in the works for Topuria, although he stopped short of stating that it was Makhachev who he’d be facing.

“Ilia Topuria will be fighting at International Fight Week, for a title I am told,” Colmenro wrote on X.

Ariel Helwani has since pitched in to suggest that there’s actually two potential options for Topuria, and both would include a title being on the line in.

“As discussed on the show today, Ilia is going to fight on June 28,” Helwani wrote on X. “The question is, will it be against Islam for the 155 belt, or will it be against Charles [Oliveira] for the vacant? We should know soon. But he should 100% be on there and he should 100% fight for gold.”

The possibility of fighting for the vacant title is interesting as that suggests that there’s a possibility that Makhachev is seriously considering doing what Topuria has just done, which is to vacate his title and move up a division (welterweight).

It’s a move that has been teased for some time as he eyes the opportunity to become a two-division champion, but if so it would feel like he’s leaving unfinished business at 155lbs given that a fight with Topuria would truly be a battle for the ages.