Ilia Topuria should be stripped of UFC gold, says popular analyst

One well-known analyst has shifted his opinion on Ilia Topuria’s status as the UFC Lightweight Champion.

Topuria might be holding the main 155-pound title, but he will not be featured in the next lightweight championship bout. Instead, Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will be fighting for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship on Jan. 24. The bout will headline UFC 324, which will be UFC’s debut event on Paramount+.

Topuria is currently on hiatus, as he claims to be the victim of a false domestic abuse allegations. Appearing on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Chael Sonnen shared a conversation he had with someone who believes Topuria should be stripped of the lightweight gold (via MMAJunkie).

“I was a little surprised by it,” Sonnen said “Their argument, though, was that the interim belt is for those who are dealing with an illness or an injury. If we would like to show grace to an undisputed champion because he’s missing matches specifically for illness or injury, and the moment Ilia informs us that he is missing matches for anything outside the criteria of illness or injury, that’s when you strip him.”

While Sonnen was initial taken aback by the suggestion, he ultimately agrees.

“I thought it was very cold, and I didn’t like that,” Sonnen admitted. “I thought about it, and there’s actually a point to that. … You’ve got to be stripped. I think that is a fair point. I don’t want him stripped. I’m on Ilia’s side of this. I don’t really like what he’s going through. I also think he’s innocent. He seems like a really good guy. I don’t think he would have done these things. However, they’ve got to strip him. If he’s not making the claim that he’s injured and has some kind of a doctor’s report to back it up, as bogus as those can be, he’s got to be stripped.”

Time will tell if UFC officials will eventually remove Topuria as its lightweight champion. If not, then he will be booked in a title unification bout against the winner of Pimblett vs. Gaethje at some point in 2026.