UFC is standing behind Ilia Topuria and prepared to give the lightweight champion all the time he needs to handle his personal business outside the cage.
That means the winner of Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett, who collide for the interim title at UFC 324 later this month in Las Vegas, could defend the substitute strap at some point later this year.
“I can tell you from a very reliable source that the UFC is not going to strip Ilia, they will give him all the time he needs,” ESPN’s Carlos Contreras
Legaspi told Alvaro Colmenero. “If it is necessary to defend an interim position for some reason, which I hope not, they will let him do so.”
Suddenly that “six or seven” sounds more like “five or six.”
“The situation has been taken very well by the people at the UFC,” Legaspi added (transcribed by Bloody Elbow). “They have a lot of faith in the star status that Topuria has today. So for those who are thinking that something strange could happen, I see it as very unlikely.”
The 28 year-old Topuria (17-0) is going through a public (and somewhat messy) divorce and could find himself sidelined for the rest of the year as they battle for custody of their daughter.
