UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria may be sidelined as he works through personal matters, but he isn’t losing sleep over the promotion’s decision to crown an interim champion in his absence. In fact, he says he expected it.
In November, Topuria announced he would be stepping back from competition, prompting the UFC to book Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for an interim belt at UFC 324 on Jan. 24. The matchup and the creation of the interim title drew immediate criticism from fans who questioned its necessity and wondered why top contender Arman Tsarukyan wasn’t slotted in instead.