UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev is leaving his division behind and moving up a weight class just like undefeated rival Ilia Topuria did earlier this year when he vacated his featherweight title. Topuria and Makhachev will look to join an elite few of fighters who have conquered two divisions by capturing a second belt.

Islam Makhachev has responded to one popular UFC analyst's claims that he ducked a lightweight title defense against Ilia Topuria.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is unbeaten in his professional MMA career and is coming off back-to-back knockouts of featherweight greats Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. While Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) credits Topuria for his accolades, he thinks timing played a major factor in his success.

Topuria accused Makhachev of ‘running away’ in response, sparking a war of words on social media. According to one former UFC title challenger, though, there is only one “real” rivalry in MMA — and it’s not Topuria and Makhachev’s.

Ilia Topuria is set to battle Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title after Islam Makhachev's move to welterweight. Aleksandre Topuria, Ilia