Ilia Topuria open to Islam Makhachev title fight after UFC 308 return: ‘Sometimes he talks too much’
Unbeaten featherweight titleholder, Ilia Topuria may be preparing for a massive title fight of his own at UFC 308 at the end of the month, however, has expressed his interest in facing off with current lightweight champion and pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev.
Topuria, the current undisputed featherweight champion, returns to action later this month in the main event of UFC 308, taking on symbolic BMF gold holder and former featherweight titleholder, Holloway in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Winning the title back in February in a UFC 298 headliner, Topuria handed Australian fan-favorite, Alexander Volkanovski his first loss at the featherweight limit in the Octagon, courtesy of a stunning second round knockout win in Anaheim, minting himself as the divisional gold holder as a result.
Ilia Topuria eyes future grudge fight with Islam Makhachev after UFC 308
And plotting a potential move to the lightweight limit in the future amid links to a grudge fight with former two-division champion, Conor McGregor, Spanish-Georgian striker, Topuria has now weighed up a potential fight for 155lbs spoils against pound-for-pound pacesetter, Makhachev.
“Max (Holloway) doesn’t even know what awaits him — in one round,” Ilia Topuria said during a live stream on his official Instagram. “They don’t know how I am, I’m at full throttle. Poor guy, really. I like him too much for what’s going to happen to him. Max really doesn’t have a chance. He’s not going to be able to exchange with me because he’s going to get what he really needs, to have his nose put back in its place.”
“Why not?” Ilia Topuria said of a potential lightweight move. “I’ve done it once. I could do it again. The truth is that of course I do [see a fight with Islam Makhachev in the future]. He’s a great fighter. Sometimes he talks too much, sometimes not. But we can always resolve it in the Octagon, not in the streets because I’ll have to pay for his medical bills.”
