Ilia Topuria has publicly stated that Islam Makhachev is preoccupied with counting other people's money rather than fighting. Topuria claimed that Makhachev has made excuses on two separate occasions to avoid facing him. The Georgian-Spanish featherweight champion suggested this pattern indicates Makhachev is deliberately avoiding the matchup. This represents an escalation in tensions between the two champions. No specific details about the nature of the alleged excuses were provided in the statement.
Ilia Topuria has turned up the heat on Islam Makhachev, publicly accusing the welterweight champion of making excuses to duck their potential matchup and being more interested in counting other fighters' money than stepping into the cage with him.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," holds a 17-1-0 record and currently sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings at just 29 years old. The Georgian-Spanish fighter competes at lightweight, where he is ranked second in the division, and has built a reputation as one of the sport's most dangerous finishers. He lands an impressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute and supplements his striking with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a complete and unpredictable threat.
Makhachev, 34, is the reigning welterweight champion out of Russia and carries a 28-1-0 record, placing him at the top of the pound-for-pound list. Fighting out of southpaw stance at five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, the Dagestani finisher is known for his suffocating wrestling and submission game, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He also connects on 58 percent of his significant strikes, one of the higher accuracy figures in the sport.
Topuria claimed Makhachev has used excuses on two separate occasions to sidestep the fight, though no specifics about the nature of those excuses were offered. The statement marks a clear escalation in tensions between two of the most prominent champions in the UFC.
Why it matters
- Topuria is the number-one pound-for-pound fighter and a win over Makhachev would cement a historic cross-divisional legacy
- Makhachev sits atop the welterweight division and a fight with Topuria would be a rare clash between two active champions
- The contrasting styles — Topuria's high-volume striking versus Makhachev's wrestling and submission pressure — would present significant stylistic intrigue
