Featherweight contender shares honest take on how Ilia Topuria's lightweight move will affect 145-pound division: "Belt's gonna to be bounced about"

Ilia Topuria's decision to vacate the featherweight belt and move up to lightweight has caused quite a stir in the MMA world. UFC featherweight Nathaniel Wood also weighed in on the topic during a recent interview with Jordan Ellis for Bloody Elbow.

'The Prospect' started by showing support for Topuria's decision to move up a weight class. Wood then stated that there might be some commotion in the featherweight division after 'El Matador's' departure and the title might change hands a few times.

"I think [Ilia Topuria] should have done it. If I'm honest, I look at him and he is obviously a superstar... so why not move up, be more comfortable, actually enjoy your life without having to deplete yourself... I think the featherweight division now will be a little bit lost. The belt's gonna be bounced about, If I'm honest.

"I think [Diego] Lopes will beat [Alexander] Volkanovski, then I think Movsar [Evloev] will fight and beat Lopes. I think it's going to be like that for a while. So yeah, now that Ilia Topuria has moved up, I think a lot more things are gonna be happening in the featherweight division."

Check out Nathaniel Wood's comments below (12:10):

---

Diego Lopes comments on Ilia Topuria's move to lightweight

After the news broke of Ilia Topuria's departure from the UFC featherweight division, it was announced that Diego Lopes and Alexander Volkanovski will lock horns for the vacant title at UFC 314.

Ahead of the clash, the Brazilian did an interview with MMA Fighting where he weighed in on Topuria's decision. The 30-year-old claimed that 'El Matador' has the potential to achieve great things as a lightweight fighter.

"He's a guy that can achieve great things in that division. He's very athletic and quite young too. I think he's 27, 28 years old. So, I think he has time to do a great run up a division."

Check out Diego Lopes' comments below: