Jun 24, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Ilia Topuria (blue gloves) wins a unanimous decision against Josh Emmett (red gloves) in a featherweight bout during UFC Fight Night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

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Ilia Topuria Fires Shots At Team Khabib Despite Ongoing Personal Struggles

Ilia Topuria isn’t letting personal problems slow down his trash talk. The UFC lightweight champion is dealing with a messy divorce and legal battles. Most fighters would lay low during such turbulent times. Not ‘El Matador’ though. He is still firing shots at Team Khabib.

Topuria moved up to UFC lightweight division to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title but Makhachev also had the same idea of moving up in weight. Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in devastating fashion to claim the belt. Now he’s on indefinite hiatus while sorting out his personal life. But that hasn’t stopped him from calling out the Dagestani camp.

Ilia Topuria Claims Team Khabib Is Arrogant

Topuria sat down with Eldoberdan MMA recently and made some bold declarations. He still wants that fight with Makhachev even though he has since moved up to welterweight. The confidence radiating from Topuria borders on arrogance, but that’s always been his style.

He claimed Makhachev talks too much but won’t accept the fight. Topuria believes he’s a completely different challenge from anyone Islam has faced before. He specifically mentioned Jack Della Maddalena and Dan Hooker as fighters who don’t compare to him. When asked about his game plan, Topuria promised his right hand would put Makhachev to sleep for a very long time.

But here’s where things get spicy. Topuria doesn’t just want to beat Islam Makhachev. He wants to embarrass him. He called Team Khabib cocky and arrogant, which is ironic coming from someone who never lacks confidence himself. His dream scenario involves submitting Makhachev right in front of Khabib Nurmagomedov. And if Khabib decides to step in afterward? Topuria says he’ll gladly step on his head too.

“They’re so cocky and arrogant, I would really love to submit him in front of [Khabib]. And if Khabib wants to step in afterward, I’ll gladly step on his head too.”

Ilia Topuria says he'd love to submit Islam Makhachev in front of Khabib and step on Khabib's head after 😳

"They're so cocky and arrogant, I would really love to submit him in front of [Khabib]. And if Khabib wants to step in afterward, I'll gladly step on his head too."

(via… pic.twitter.com/kc9QnknYlB
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 21, 2025

That’s fighting talk that crosses lines most fighters respect. Khabib Nurmagomedov retired years ago and now mentors the next generation. Threatening a retired legend who isn’t competing anymore feels unnecessary. But Topuria clearly doesn’t care about traditional MMA respect codes.

What makes this situation fascinating is the timing. Topuria is currently navigating a divorce and won’t compete until after the first quarter of 2026. Some might say this trash talk is a distraction technique. Maybe focusing on future fights helps him cope with present struggles. Or perhaps Topuria genuinely can’t help himself. The competitor in him refuses to stay quiet regardless of circumstances.

(Image Credit: David Yeazell – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Khabib Nurmagomedov

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!