Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Ilia Topuria celebrates his championship victory against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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“I Need His Head On My List” – Ilia Topuria’s Rival Declares His Intentions For A Future Title Fight

Ilia Topuria’s contender boldly announces his ambition, setting his sights on a championship showdown in the near future!

The UFC featherweight division has rarely seen a champion quite like Ilia Topuria. The Spanish-Georgian fighter stormed through 2024, leaving behind a trail of unconscious bodies and broken dreams. First, he shocked the world by knocking out the unbeatable Alexander Volkanovski and snatching the belt in dramatic fashion. Then, just to prove it wasn’t a fluke, he went ahead and demolished the legendary Max Holloway in October.

Most champions would be content to sit back and enjoy their success after such a year, but Topuria has been eyeing bigger challenges, specifically, a move up to the lightweight division. But someone is already plotting to make sure Topuria’s reign isn’t as comfortable as he would like it to be.

All Ilia Topuria career KO's 🔥

THREAD 🧵

01. Ends Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight reign 💥pic.twitter.com/JAqHetssdH
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) October 21, 2024

Also Read: From ‘The Eagle’ To ‘Coach’: How Khabib Nurmagomedov Is Taking His Father’s Legacy Forward!

Undefeated Movsar Evloev Wants Ilia Topuria’s Head On His List

Movsar Evloev has quickly become the featherweight division’s most persistent stalker. Fresh off a win against Aljamain Sterling, he isn’t just calling for a title shot. He wants something much more.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Evloev announced he would follow Ilia Topuria through multiple weight classes if necessary. It’s the kind of determination that ultimately lands the fighter with a belt around their waist (like Merab Dvalishvili).

“Ilia Topuria has started talking that he’s moving up. I don’t know what’s going on. If the champion moves up, he will leave the title, I will get the title, and then I will follow him…I will go after him, even if he goes to middleweight. He is not a big guy. I don’t need to cut weight to beat this guy. I need his head on my list.”

For those who don’t follow UFC weight classes closely, there is a 40-pound weight difference between where he fights now and where he would chase the champion! But Movsar Evloev doesn’t seem to think this is crazy at all. This is either the most confident or most delusional statement of 2025 so far.

What makes this whole situation even more intriguing is that Evloev isn’t some random fighter shooting his shot. He’s undefeated in his professional career, with a wrestling-heavy style that could potentially give ‘El Matador’ problems.

But Evloev’s style is often criticized as boring by many analysts and fans alike. In his 18-fight career as an MMA pro, he has won 12 decisions. He is yet to pull off a finish in his 9-fight win streak in the UFC, earning him the tag of “decision fighter.”

Will Evloev really chase Ilia Topuria up two weight classes if necessary? Would the UFC even allow such a thing? And most importantly, does the featherweight champion care enough about this challenge to put his lightweight aspirations on hold? Only time will tell!

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkanovksi

Ilia Topuria

Max Holloway

Movsar Evloev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!