{"id":58328,"date":"2025-08-05T12:07:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T12:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=58328"},"modified":"2025-08-05T12:07:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T12:07:19","slug":"ilia-topuria-first-ufc-lightweight-title-defence-confirmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/ilia-topuria-first-ufc-lightweight-title-defence-confirmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Ilia Topuria Has His First UFC Lightweight Title Defence Officially Booked, Says UFC Analyst Chael Sonnen"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to former UFC fighter turned analyst Chael Sonnen, Ilia Topuria officially has his first UFC Lightweight Title defence booked.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UFC insider and respected MMA voice has revealed that Topuria’s first defence of his 155-pound belt has been confirmed and will be officially announced in due course.<\/p>\n

Ilia Topuria First UFC Lightweight Title Defence Officially Booked<\/h2>\n

After capturing the UFC Lightweight Title last time out with his emphatic Round 1 knockout over future Hall of Famer Charles Oliveira, MMA fans cannot wait to see Ilia Topuria back in the octagon as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

Topuria has secured three straight knockouts over future UFC Hall of Famers. First he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, before doing the same to Max Holloway before then moving up to lightweight to dispatch of ‘Do Bronx’.<\/p>\n

‘El Matador’ has looked like a world beater so far, boasting a perfect 17-0 MMA record as the latest two-division UFC champion<\/a>. Now he is the king at lightweight, his first UFC Lightweight Title defence is a hot topic of conversation.<\/p>\n

The likes of Arman Tsarukyan, Holloway, Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje all feel they should be next in line for a shot at Topuria and the lightweight belt.<\/p>\n

Pimblett ended up having a staredown with Topuria inside the octagon in the aftermath of UFC 317, which UFC President Dana White wasn’t a huge fan of. Despite this act, ‘The Baddy’ isn’t the next UFC Lightweight Title challenger.<\/p>\n

Chael Sonnen has confirmed that Arman Tsarukyan will officially challenge Ilia Topuria in his first UFC Lightweight Title defence later this year.<\/p>\n

As the #2 ranked lightweight, Tsarukyan, who boasts a stellar 22-3 MMA record consisting of nine UFC wins<\/a>, more than deserves his shot at UFC gold for the very first time.<\/p>\n

He was meant to have fought Islam Makhachev for the belt UFC 311 back in January, but pulled out out of the contest during fight week because of injury. Now though, it seems Tsarukyan if finally getting his shot at the 155-pound belt.<\/p>\n