Joe Rogan urges UFC to add weight classes, comments on Ilia Topuria at 155lbs: “Cutting weight is bullsh*t”
Joe Rogan believes it's time for UFC to add more divisions, with Ilia Topuria relinquishing facing title snub from the lightweight champ.
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Joe Rogan makes suggestions for new weight classes and comments on Ilia Topuria's move (Source: IMAGO)
Joe Rogan is of the opinion that the time is finally right for the UFC to add more weight classes to the mix. Ilia Topuria vacating to go up to 155 pounds has urged all such points even further. Such rare cases warrant the need for more divisions than drastic cuts, per the color commentator.
Ilia Topuria will once again chase a fight against Islam Makhachev after vacating his featherweight belt. However, longtime reigning UFC 155-pound king is unwilling to give another former featherweight a chance. Joe Rogan mused that this was an opportune moment to have a whole other division for fighters struggling to cut down.
[Holloway] got pretty big when he went up to fight Gaethje, he put the weight on right, …he looked fantastic, he was beating his a**–You have to wonder how much that Ilia Topuria knockout took out of Max because that was a beating. Ilia is just so f**king dangerous, he’s so technical, like…He’s a step ahead of everybody. I think the 145lb cut is [much]…it’s terrible for you, they need more weight classes and they need to stop cutting weight.
Joe Rogan via JRE ‘Fight Companion’ – March 22, 2025
All through 2023, the combat community saw Conor McGregor ballooning up in size, practically like a middleweight. When he was rumored to return for the UFC 303 PPV kickoff presser, ‘The Notorious’ first hinted at a catchweight return just below 170 pounds. Ilia Topuria, who maintains quite the power and hydration outside the camp, could have used a catchweight bordering 155 pounds.
‘El Matador’ is arguably, and widely considered undersized for lightweight. Hence, such a measure would be in good spirits rather than another drastic cut below. Joe Rogan’s worries about weigh-in cuts have come to fruition before.
Therefore, while discussing Max Holloway’s UFC 300 PPV event barnburner and Topuria’s impending move up, Rogan has suggested new weight classes. Holloway himself fought for the “BMF” title while at 155 lbs hydration and has made the move permanent.
Joe Rogan does not think Islam Makhachev PPV super fight at 155 pounds will happen any soon
After knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 PPV and then becoming the first fighter to finish Holloway, Ilia Topuria rocketed to superstardom. The Spanish-Georgian fighter considered he did all he could at 145 pounds and wanted a second belt. But, part of Joe Rogan wanting a new weight class is because of reigning champ Makhachev continuously snubbing off Topuria.
Rogan’s guest, Brendan Schaub, mentioned the potential Makhachev vs. Topuria fight on the Fight Companion episode. It is among the two best fights that the UFC can put on right now. The clash between the best 145-lber vs. best 155-lber remains a must-watch for the MMA community. However, veteran UFC commentator dumbed down such a possibility.
I don’t think that’s happening, …I wonder what they’re gonna do with Topuria. I like Topuria vs. Oliveira… Oliveira is so tall, so dangerous everywhere, huge reach advantage. Those [lightweights] are real big, Islam’s huge…
Joe Rogan further said
Rogan is hoping for a potential Charles Oliveira vs. Topuria fight, and the two have traded barbs online. Even Team AKA coach Javier Mendez presented Topuria could make a case for top contender matchups. That is, if he got through such names. Topuria himself has doused 155-pound top contender matchup challenges to Oliveira, even this early on.
However, Oliveira has stated that he is not interested in fighting Topuria. ‘Do Bronx’ has the promise to be a 155-pound top seed after a close battle with an actual top contender, and then defeating Michael Chandler. Hence, he is shooting straight for gold. What happens to Ilia Topuria at lightweight is anyone’s guess for now.
Related: Joe Rogan questions UFC 311 moment that could have kept Team Khabib legacy intact
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