Ilia Topuria vacated his UFC featherweight title primarily due to struggles with extreme weight cuts and a desire to move up to lightweight, later compounded by serious personal issues including extortion attempts and false domestic abuse allegations.

Initial Vacating Decision

Topuria captured the featherweight belt with a knockout win over Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024, defending it once before announcing his move up. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed it was Topuria's choice, as his natural walking weight hovered around 187 lbs, making 145 lbs cuts unsustainable long-term. This paved the way for Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes to fight for the vacant title at UFC 314 on April 12, 2025.

Shift to Lightweight Ambitions

Topuria eyed a superfight with lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, trash- talking him online after Makhachev's UFC 311 win: "Islam, if I want to, I can finish you." He even won the lightweight title by knocking out Charles Oliveira earlier in 2025, holding dual belts briefly. However, weight issues and division politics—Dana reportedly declined an unearned shot—pushed the vacating.

Personal Crisis and Hiatus

In late November 2025, Topuria stepped away from fighting through Q1 2026 to handle "a difficult moment in my personal life," prioritizing his children and not holding up divisions. By mid-December, he detailed extortion: threats of fake domestic abuse claims unless he paid up, backed by audio, texts, witnesses, and video evidence submitted to authorities. He emphasized his clean record of discipline and respect, refusing to let silence fuel lies.

Forum and Media Buzz

Reddit r/MMA reactions highlight split views—some see weight cuts as the core issue, others suspect UFC pressure or unearned title shots.

"Ilia vacating the belt means he is risking more for this fight then Islam." – User insight on stakes.

Joe Rogan Experience guests spun divorce rumors into "Miami theory" drama, but Topuria's camp focused on legal resolution. No fight return timeline yet; latest silence since his December statement.

Aspect| Details| Source
---|---|---
Weight Struggles| Walks at 187 lbs; can't sustain 145 lbs cuts| 35
Title Moves| Vacated FW; won LW vs. Oliveira| 57
Extortion Claims| False abuse allegations, evidence filed| 27
Hiatus Timeline| No fights Q1 2026+| 18

TL;DR: Topuria vacated for weight/health reasons and a Makhachev pursuit, but extortion/false abuse claims forced his ongoing break—he's fighting back legally.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.