UFC featherweight champion has admitted that in the future, he would consider moving back up to the lightweight division to take on Islam Makhachev stating that the champion ‘talks too much’.
The undefeated featherweight is scheduled to defend his title against Max Holloway at UFC 308 on October 26, and ahead of his bout, he has talked about the potential of moving up to lightweight in the future.
Despite having only fought at 155lbs once during his 15-fight career, ‘El Matador’ emphatically knocked out Jai Herbert in his lone lightweight outing in 2022.
Ilia Topuria is open to fighting Islam Makhachev in the future
With Ilia Topuria growing in star power with each outing, champions wanting to move up or down a weight class to become a double champion have become a regular occurrence in the UFC.
Ahead of his UFC 308 title defense, Topuria has continuously exhibited his confidence heading into the fight against ‘Blessed’ Holloway, and in a recent Instagram live video, the 27-year-old claimed he is going to give Holloway exactly what he needs.
“Max doesn’t even know what awaits him… In one round. 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,” Topuria said on the live video.
If the 27-year-old does pass the test of Holloway, he will likely have a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski who is waiting in the wings. However, the Spaniard has admitted that he would be open to fighting Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title.
“Why not (move up to lightweight)? I’ve done it once, I could do it again. The truth is that of course I do (see myself fighting Makhachev). 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,” Topuria continued.
Max Holloway teases that his UFC 308 game plan has been working in sparring
Despite the current BMF champion being best well-known for his elite boxing, Topuria is widely regarded as the most dangerous boxer in the UFC currently.
However, the 32-year-old has teased that the game plan he and his team have forged for the UFC 308 main event has been working in sparring and that despite the problems Topuria poses, he is a ‘problem solver’.
“I need to get ready for the opponent, you know. Ilia does present some problems for us but, I’m a problem solver… Camps going good, feeling fast, game plan on point, can’t wait man, can’t wait.
“The game plan that we came together with is working good in sparring, can’t wait to go out there and show the world what we’ve been working on,” Holloway teased in a video on his YouTube channel.