UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has claimed that he would play with Sean O’Malley in a potential fantasy matchup, with the two having previously shared words.
Ilia Topuria is still waiting on the UFC to book his first featherweight title defense, as he continues to call for the promotion to hold an event in Spain.
‘El Matador’ has come to terms with the fact that his next fight is likely going to be against the current ‘BMF’ champion, Max Holloway, although it is unlikely to take place in the Mediterranean.
Earlier last week, the 27-year-old got caught in a Conor McGregor crossfire, after the Irishman laughed off Topuria’s claims that he would be the highest-paid athlete in the world, by 2025.
Ilia Topuria claims he’d play with Sean O’Malley in champ vs champ fight
After his title defense at UFC 299 this past March, Sean O’Malley called for UFC CEO, Dana White, to fire up the private jet and take him to Spain to fight Topuria. The undefeated featherweight responded by making him aware that he has Merab Dvalishvili to be wary of.
Although that fight is unlikely to happen any time soon, it is possible if both champions continue to successfully defend their belts.
“(I would beat him) however I want, to be honest, however I want. I can do with him, whatever I want. I can just play with him, like, how do you want me to finish you?” Topuria told La Sueur.
O’Malley’s fight against Dvalishvili is still yet to be announced by the promotion and despite it having been targeted for UFC 306, the champion recently claimed that he hasn’t had any talks with the UFC regarding the September 14th date.
The Spaniard believes a fight against O’Malley would be no different from any of his previous 15 fights, and that the 29-year-old would have no business being in there with him.
“It’s like the same question I asked to all the guys that I’ve (faced), I’m just like, tell me how you want me to finish you, and I can do that. He’s a world champion and I respect him but he has nothing to do with me.” Topuria added.
Ilia Topuria drops his demands for Holloway fight
Despite originally claiming that he will only fight Max Holloway if ‘Blessed’ puts his ‘BMF’ title on the line, the 27-year-old has now dropped his demands and wants to fight Holloway regardless because ‘he’s been talking a lot’.
“I just have a clear message for him which is, that I want to fight him no matter the belts, no matter what. He’s been talking a lot so he has to be next, he has to be the next one. So hopefully he signs the contract and he will be able to show up on whatever the date is, but that’s the fight.” Topuria stated.
Outlining his plans for the rest of the year and 2025, ‘El Matador’ continued his persistence in calling for an event in Spain, and he believes it could come if he is victorious against Holloway first.
“So hopefully I’m going to face Max Holloway, then we’re going to bring the UFC to Spain, we’re going to do the biggest event in UFC history at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, hopefully, we bring some big name too, that’s the two fights I have for the near future.” Topuria finished.