UFC Hall of Famer Weighs In on Whether Ilia Topuria Should Be Stripped of Lightweight Title
A UFC Hall of Famer has shared his thoughts on whether lightweight champion Ilia Topuria should be stripped because of inactivity due to personal reasons.
Topuria has announced a hiatus from fighting and won’t return until the first quarter of 2026. In the meantime, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will contest for the interim lightweight championship at UFC 324, and the winner will fight ‘El Matador’ once he returns.
Earlier this week, Ilia Topuria posted another statement on social media, telling his followers that he has been accused of domestic abuse. In this statement, he added that he would not be providing further updates at this crucial time.
Because of Topuria’s impending legal challenges, the MMA community has assumed that his return will be delayed more than anticipated.
Chael Sonnen recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show and was asked by the host if he thinks the Georgian-Spaniard should be stripped because of inactivity due to personal reasons, and not because the champion is injured and unable to compete. Sonnen was also asked if the UFC 324 headliner between Gaethje and Pimblett should now be for the undisputed title.
On the show, Sonnen disclosed that he spoke with a “meaningful person” in the UFC who informed him that Topuria would not be stripped if he had to miss fights due to illness or injury, but because he is not, he needs to be. The 48-year-old said:
“I am gonna dance. I am gonna do a little tiptoe, but I was at the Apex a week ago. I had a conversation with a very meaningful person in the industry, and that was the first person who ever suggested to me that Ilia be stripped. And I was a little surprised by it… Their argument, tho, was that the interim belt is for those who are dealing with an illness or an injury… The moment Ilia informs us that he is missing matches of anything outside the criteria of illness or injury, that’s when you strip him… I thought it was very cold.”
Check out Chael Sonnen’s comments below:
Chael Sonnen personally does not want Ilia Topuria to be stripped
During the same interview with Ariel Helwani, Chael Sonnen added that he personally does not want the UFC to take the championship from Ilia Topuria. Sonnen considers the Georgian-Spaniard to be innocent and is on the latter’s side.
The UFC Hall of Famer also proposed the idea that, similar to many, Ilia Topuria may present a medical report and claim to be injured, regardless of how false the report may be. Sonnen added:
“I don’t want him stripped. I am on Ilia’s side of this. I don’t really like what he is going through. I think he has shared more with us than he has to. I also think he is innocent. He seems like a good guy. I really don’t think he would have done those things. However, yeah, they gotta strip him. If he is not making the claim that he is injured… He is gotta be stripped.”
