Movsar Evloev calls bluff on UFC champ Ilia Topuria vacating title

Movsar Evloev is trying to stay patient in his pursuit of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.

Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) remained unbeaten when he edged out former champ Aljamain Sterling this past December at UFC 310. But with Topuria recently hinting that he may vacate his title, top contender Evloev is left in a quandary.

“To be honest, it’s not easy to even understand what’s going on,” Evloev told MMA Fighting. “Because Max (Holloway) said he will not come back to featherweight again. So, Ilia’s talking that he’s moving up also, especially after my fight.

“I don’t know what’s going on. For me, it doesn’t matter who will be my next opponent. Even if the champion moves up, he will leave the title. I will get the title and then I will follow him. Lightweight is not too far for me.”

Evloev is more concerned with becoming champion than fighting Topuria but ultimately thinks their fight takes place at 145 pounds.

“Even if he moves up, I will take the belt first because this is my first goal,” Evloev continued. “So then I will go after him, even if he goes to middleweight. It doesn’t matter. He’s not a big guy. I don’t need to cut the weight to beat this guy.

“I need his head on my list. Belt is first, but I don’t think that he will leave the title. He’s not going to go to lightweight. He will defend his belt again soon. I don’t know when, but we’ll see.”

Like Evloev, no one has been able to solve the puzzle against Topuria. The 30-year-old is confident that he has the skillset to both dethrone Topuria and hand him his first loss.

“He’s a great fighter, but he’s not an unbeatable fighter,” Evloev said of Topuria. “I’m that guy who can beat this guy. Just make the fight between me and him, and I will prove my words.”