Ilia Topuria eyes UFC superfight with No. 1 pound-for-pound Islam Makhachev
UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria wants the biggest fights possible, even if that means fighting champions outside of his natural weight class.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), fresh off a successful first title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 308, told UFC Australian TV broadcaster Maine Event on Wednesday that if the timing were to align, he would challenge No. 1 pound-for-pound star and UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) in a champ vs. champ superfight.
Makhachev is under a month removed from his submission win against late-notice replacement Renato Moicano. Moicano (20-6-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) had stepped in for No. 1 lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), who suffered a back injury during the final hours of his weight cut that resulted in their fight being scrapped before UFC 311.
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Nevertheless, Topuria is keen on a fight with Makhachev, saying he presents his toughest challenge. He did add that if the fight were to materialize, he would come out on the victorious end and make a case for potentially becoming the promotion’s biggest star in the current era.
“This is something I want to do,” Topuria said. “The UFC knows that, but at the end of the day, this is something that the UFC decides. They know how to run the business. They know how to do it. They have a lot of experience, so if they tell me they want me to keep defending the belt in the 145 [featherweight] division, maybe I will do that.”
Even though Topuria is likely to agree to whichever terms the UFC presents, he still plans to push for what he rightfully wants – the biggest fight possible.
“If they let me move up in [the] 155-[pound division], I will do that also.”
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Topuria plans to hold up his end of a potential Volkanovski rematch if the promotion presents the option of him staying at featherweight, but for now, it remains to be seen which decision, if any, the promotion decides to make.
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