Ilia Topuria has shared a damning response to Max Holloway’s UFC 300 win, even stating that he’ll only face ‘Blessed’ for his featherweight title on one condition.
It was a KO for the ages, one so devastating that it set Max Holloway up for not one, but two divisional UFC titles – but ‘Blessed’ won’t be happy with Ilia Topuria’s latest comments on what he might have to sacrifice, should he want another shot at the 145lb belt.
Max Holloway called out featherweight king Ilia Topuria at UFC 300
With the dramatic last-second KO of Justin Gaethje in his record book and the shiny silver-plated BMF championship belt around his waist, Max Holloway has plenty of options available to him as he hunts another UFC title.
Speaking to Joe Rogan in his UFC 300 post-fight interview, ‘Blessed’ took full opportunity of the microphone to call out both featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and lightweight champion Islam Makhachev:
“All I’ve got to say is that I’m him, I’m him guys! There’s an El Matador [and] he’s running away from a bull at 145lbs – tell him to sign the contract! Spain, Hawaii, wherever!” Even Islam, Islam is famous for defending against 45ers right? I’m him, I’m right here!”
‘El Matador’ makes a bold play for the BMF championship belt
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on the latest episode of The MMA Hour, the featherweight king stated that whilst he was hoping that Max Holloway emerged victorious, he was decidedly unimpressed by his performance on Saturday evening:
“The greatest moment in the fight, we all know what, the last 10 seconds but without that, I didn’t like that fight at all. I didn’t see any technique, I didn’t see any strategy, I didn’t see any power, I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see any head movement; I just see a bar fight.”
“Even the last 10 seconds, it was amazing as a fan perspective it was great to watch but before that, I was not impressed at all,” said the Georgian-Spanish superstar.
Topuria then acknowledged that he’s excited at the possibility of fighting for the silver-plated BMF belt, despite Max Holloway having no obligation to put up the promotional title for divisional bouts.
“He’s got that BMF belt so I’m excited to add that belt to my legacy too,” said the 27-year-old, before stating that Holloway must make the silver strap available to him: “Without the BMF belt, I don’t want him at all.”
“If not, I’m gonna fight with Volkanovski who deserves more than him, the rematch. He’s been saying ‘right now I have a lot of options’, he doesn’t have any options. I’m the champion right now, I choose the date, I choose the place. Whenever I want him, he has to be ready.”
“Just imagine how much of a bad m******* Volkanovski is if he beat Max Holloway three times,” added the current champion of the 145lb division.
A reminder that Jorge Masvidal did not put up the BMF belt for his first title fight against Kamaru Usman, despite that being his next bout following his victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244.
Ilia Topuria says he’ll finish ‘Blessed’ in defense of his 145lb title
So, how does Ilia Topuria see a potential featherweight-BMF title fight against Max Holloway going down? Unsurprisingly, given both his undefeated record and ever-present self-confidence, ‘El Matador’ says he’ll be the first man to ever KO the Hawaiian sensation in the UFC.
“A fight with me is going to go completely differently because I don’t step back, all the time I walk forward; I can wrestle, I can go to the ground, I can punch you and I go into the cage with a strategy, not just to throw punches.”
Topuria claimed that Holloway is “not so good that people think he is,” adding on the damage that ‘Blessed’ has sustained across his iconic UFC career, “You just have to see his face, he looks like he had an accident in a motorcycle without the helmet.”
“For sure Max Holloway is next. He can say whatever he wants to say, that I’m running and he’s the bull – this and that: Just bring that same energy you had in the last 10 seconds but bring it in the first 10 seconds. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”
“I know that I’ll be the first person to put his lights out. I know that I’m way better than him everywhere, I can do with him whatever I want.”