Ilia Topuria, a rising star in UFC, previously threatened to retire at 30 due to weight cutting struggles. At 28, now ranked second on ESPN's pound-for-pound list, he's preparing for a title fight against Charles Oliveira. Topuria clarified that his earlier retirement thoughts were tied to the hardships of making the featherweight limit, but he's now looking to pursue further opportunities. He aspires to map out an ambitious career path until he turns 30, with plans for title defenses and high-profile matchups ahead, including a potential fight with Paddy Pimblett.
"I was struggling a lot with the weight cut and it was making me start to hate the entire sport. So yeah, I've changed my mind on that. Those [extra] 10 pounds gave me life."
Topuria, one of only two fighters under 30 on ESPN's pound-for-pound list, has been so good and so ambitious at a young age, there isn't that much left for him to chase if he's successful at UFC 317.
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