Ilia Topuria, widely recognized as a dominant and undefeated fighter in the UFC, once encountered a peculiar situation early in his career: winning a title bout but being unable to claim the championship belt. This unique event occurred during his time in Cage Warriors, serving as a notable example of the critical role weight cutting plays in combat sports.
Winning Without the Belt: Topuria`s Cage Warriors Weight Miss
The incident unfolded at Cage Warriors 94 in June 2018. Topuria was scheduled to fight Brian Bouland for the vacant Bantamweight title in Antwerp, Belgium. The title had become available after the previous champion, Nathaniel Wood, vacated it following his signing with the UFC. Topuria, more accustomed to competing in the Featherweight division (145 lbs), attempted to drop down to the 135 lb limit for the Bantamweight opportunity. However, the significant weight cut proved challenging.
Topuria missed the target weight by nearly 5 pounds, officially weighing in at 139.4 lbs. Despite the miss, the fight was allowed to proceed, and the title remained technically on the line, but only for his opponent, Bouland. If Bouland won, he would become the champion; if Topuria won, the title would remain vacant.
Undeterred by his ineligibility for the belt, Topuria delivered an impressive performance in the fight itself. It took him less than two minutes to secure a takedown, transition to Bouland`s back, and lock in a tight anaconda choke. The submission rendered Brian Bouland unconscious, giving Topuria a decisive first-round victory.
However, due to his failure to make the required weight, Ilia Topuria could not be awarded the Cage Warriors Bantamweight championship. The title remained vacant after his win and was subsequently won by Jack Shore later that year.
Gareth Pendleton