Ilia Topuria has boldly stated he is ready to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champion expressed confidence in his ability to finish the lightweight champion via submission. Topuria's claim represents an ambitious callout of one of the UFC's most dominant champions. The post includes a humorous reference to the song "Fantazer" (Dreamer), suggesting skepticism about Topuria's prediction. No official bout between the two champions has been announced or confirmed by the UFC at this time.
Ilia Topuria has set his sights on one of the UFC's most formidable champions, publicly declaring that he will shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The featherweight king made the bold callout without any official bout agreement in place, and the UFC has not confirmed any matchup between the two champions.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," enters the conversation as one of the most dangerous fighters on the roster. The 29-year-old Spaniard carries a 17-1 record and currently holds the number-one spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. Now competing at lightweight, he ranks second in the division and brings an aggressive output of 4.81 significant strikes per minute. He also averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, which lends at least some credibility to his finishing ambitions on the ground.
Makhachev, however, represents perhaps the most complete challenge available in mixed martial arts. The 34-year-old Russian is the reigning welterweight champion, holds the top pound-for-pound ranking, and carries a 28-1 record built on suffocating grappling and elite control. He averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes with a striking accuracy of 58 percent, and his own submission attempts average 1.1 per 15 minutes. Standing five feet ten inches tall with a 70-inch reach, he also holds a notable size advantage over the five-foot-seven Topuria.
Why it matters
- Topuria is the number-one pound-for-pound fighter targeting the number-one pound-for-pound champion, making any eventual bout a rare cross-divisional clash at the very top of the sport.
- A submission finish of Makhachev would be one of the most stunning results in UFC history given his near-impenetrable grappling credentials.
- Topuria moving to lightweight and pursuing Makhachev would have significant ranking implications in two divisions simultaneously.
