UFC featherweight king Ilia Topuria is preparing for what could be the toughest test of his career this weekend when he steps back into the octagon to face veteran Max Holloway out in Abu Dhabi.
Whilst ‘Blessed’ is certainly not someone who you’d ever want to overlook, the Spanish-Georgian superstar continues to tease that he’ll eventually make his way up to lightweight and defeat dominant champion Islam Makhachev.
Ilia Topuria on moving up to 155lbs and challenging Islam Makhachev
Speaking to the media ahead of his upcoming featherweight title showdown with Max Holloway, undefeated champion Ilia Topuria claimed that he’s trying to move away from making demands of the promotion.
“I used to make more predictions about that, wanting to fight this or that, but at the end of the day, I want to do my job which is to show up and fight – we’ll see what the UFC wants me to do [next].”
That being said, Topuria still has champ-champ aspirations of his own and should we hear ‘And Still’ out in Abu Dhabi this weekend at UFC 308, he’ll already have one eye on dominant king reigning just one division above him.
“If they call me and they want me to move up to the lightweight division, I will be okay with that; move up and be the first one to submit Islam Makhachev… If they want me to keep defending this belt in the featherweight division, I’m okay with that too so let’s leave that decision to the UFC.”
In an interview with ABC Spain earlier in the week, Topuria also claimed that he knows exactly how to beat Makhachev thanks to a lifetime of experience competing against Dagestani wrestlers.
“For Islam, I represent a style that he knows would beat him… When I was little, I participated in Greco-Roman wrestling championships, and I have shared many championships with many Dagestanis.
“I know how their thought process works, I know their level of technique, their level of strength, I know what bothers them and what doesn’t bother them, I know them very well… So, even if it seems like a very difficult fight, I would make Islam suffer a lot, [maybe] too much.”
Ilia Topuria reveals the ‘ultimate goal’ is to become a three-division champion
Imagine if Topuria defeated Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Islam Makhachev in consecutive order and the star power that would come from such a stunning ‘El Matador’ three-piece.
Yet even if all goes according to plan, champ-champ status still won’t be enough for Topuria; who has also teased that he’s willing to move all the way up to 170lbs to fight for welterweight gold.
During a conversation with TNT Sports’ Adam Catterall, Topuria was asked where he’d like to be in three years’ time: “Probably, a three-weight world champion,” he calmly predicted, adding “That’s my goal.
“You’re not going to see me in the welterweight division like this, skinny, you’re going to see me [quite] different but yeah, that’s the goal… Move up to the lightweight division, get that belt, and then move up to welterweight.”
UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway goes down this weekend, October 26 in Abu Dhabi.