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 know I Am Much Better Than Him’ – Ilia Topuria Reveals His Intentions On The Islam Makhachev Super Fight

Ilia Topuria is eyeing a super fight with Islam Makhachev! He’s confident and ready to claim the lightweight throne!

Ilia Topuria celebrates his championship victory against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The meteoric rise of Ilia Topuria has been nothing short of spectacular in the UFC‘s featherweight division. After demolishing two of the greatest 145-pounders ever – Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway – in stunning fashion, ‘El Matador’ has quickly established himself as one of the most dominant champions in recent memory.

His perfect 16-0 record speaks volumes, but it’s the way he’s dismantled his opponents that has everyone in the fight game talking. Those highlight-reel knockouts in 2024 didn’t just win him fights, they won him a spot for Fighter of the Year honors and sent a clear message to every division.

Now sitting pretty at number three in the pound-for-pound rankings, Topuria isn’t content with just ruling the featherweight roost. The undefeated champion has his sights set on something bigger, specifically the lightweight king Islam Makhachev. And he is not just talking about moving up for a challenge, he is flat-out declaring he can dominate the current pound-for-pound king.

Also Read: 7 UFC Stars and Their Heartbreaking Decline, feat. Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman

Ilia Topuria’s Callout

Topuria didn’t mince words when talking to Fox Sports Australia about his plans. He believes moving up to 155 pounds is his destiny. The featherweight champ boldly claims he knows he is better than Makhachev in every aspect of the fight game. That’s some serious swagger from someone looking to jump up a weight class!

“Me, personally, what I want to do is move up to 155 because I know that I can become a two-weight world champion. Islam, he’s a great fighter, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound for the people. For me, it’s me, myself, I’m the best fighter in the world, so I know that I can do with him whatever I want to do, because I know that I am much better than him.”

🚨 Ilia Topuria on Islam Makhachev:

"What I want is to go up to 155”

“Islam is a great fighter, #1 P4P, but for me it's me, I'm the best in the world and I know I can do with him whatever I want because I'm much better than him”

🎥 @MainEventTV pic.twitter.com/YkhKRhOfKY
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) February 5, 2025

This potential superfight carries massive implications for both fighters’ legacies. Islam Makhachev currently sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings, but Topuria wants that crown for himself. While Ilia Topuria dreams big about the Makhachev matchup, he is keeping it real about his options. The UFC might have different plans, and he is open to defending his featherweight belt if that’s what the promotion wants. Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev are waiting in the wings, though Topuria threw some shade at Evloev’s decision-heavy fighting style.

Will Ilia Topuria Dethrone The Lightweight Kingpin?

Ilia Topuria’s confidence is through the roof after his stellar 2024 campaign. The way he has been crushing competition, even the seemingly impossible task of dethroning Islam Makhachev doesn’t sound so crazy anymore.

Though let’s be honest, claiming he can do “whatever he wants” with Makhachev might be the kind of statement that comes back to haunt you in this sport. But that’s what has made Topuria such a fascinating champion. He is not here to play it safe or make friends. He is here to make history, and he is not afraid to ruffle a few feathers along the way!

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

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

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!