Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria’s ambition to compete for a second title has taken a significant step forward.
Appearing on the Spanish television program El Hormiguero, the fighter now known as “La Leyenda” announced that his next bout will be against either reigning Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev or No. 2-ranked contender, Charles Oliveira.
UFC CEO, Dana White, addressed Topuria’s comments during UFC 315’s final pre-fight press conference (watch here), confirming that Topuria’s next fight depends on the outcome of the Welterweight title fight main event between Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena.
“Yeah, there’s a lot of moving parts right now and yeah, that’s pretty accurate,” White said.
The growing theory has been that Makhachev is monitoring the Muhammad-Della Maddalena fight because he is sick and tired of beating up puffed up Featherweights. Therefore, should Della Maddalena defeat Muhammad, Makhachev is expected to move up to the 170-pound Welterweight division to pursue “double-champion” status.
In that scenario, Topuria would likely face Oliveira for the vacant (or interim) 155-pound title.
If his good friend and training partner (Muhammad) retains his title, Makhachev is anticipated to remain at Lightweight and face Topuria at UFC 317, slated for International Fight Week in late June 2025.
Consequently, UFC 315’s pay-per-view (PPV) main event — set to take place inside Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada — carries high stakes with implications for multiple divisions.
Let’s go!
LIVE! Watch UFC 315 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
TWO TITLE TILTS! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., May 10, 2025, with a championship doubleheader headlining UFC 315 from Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In the main event, Welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad, defends his title against striking sensation, Jack Della Maddalena (not Shavkat), in a thrilling five-round clash. UFC 315’s PPV co-main event features women’s Flyweight queenpin, Valentina Shevchenko, beginning her second reign against top-ranked contender, Manon Fiorot, in a high-stakes, five-round battle. UFC 315 also showcases a Bantamweight showdown between legend Jose Aldo and Aiemann Zahabi, as well as a women’s Flyweight bout pitting Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva and much more! UFC 315’s start time is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (“Early Prelims”), 8 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard), and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).
Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 315 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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