Ilia Topuria has declared that he is prepared to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champion's bold claim suggests confidence in his grappling abilities against one of the best grapplers in the sport. The post references a song called "Fantazer" (Dreamer), seemingly mocking Topuria's ambitious statement. No official fight between Topuria and Makhachev has been announced. The comment appears to be part of ongoing verbal exchanges between fighters in different weight classes.
Ilia Topuria has publicly declared he intends to submit Islam Makhachev, issuing a bold callout aimed at the reigning welterweight champion despite no official fight between the two having been announced.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," enters any potential cross-divisional conversation as the number-one ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The 29-year-old Spaniard carries a 17-1-0 record and currently sits second in the lightweight division, having previously held the featherweight title. He is one of the more active strikers in the sport, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute, and also generates 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, suggesting his grappling confidence is not entirely without foundation.
Standing in the way of that claim is Makhachev, widely regarded as one of the most complete grapplers in MMA. The 34-year-old Russian holds a 28-1-0 record and is the welterweight champion, ranked first in the pound-for-pound standings entering this year. Fighting out of Eagles MMA in a southpaw stance, Makhachev averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, all while posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent — one of the highest marks in the division.
The callout appears to stem from ongoing verbal exchanges between fighters across weight classes. Makhachev's camp responded by referencing a song called "Fantazer," meaning "Dreamer," a pointed response to Topuria's stated ambitions.
Why it matters
- Topuria is the top pound-for-pound fighter and a move to lightweight or welterweight would shake up multiple divisions
- Makhachev's grappling credentials make Topuria's submission claim a striking talking point, given the size and experience gap
- No fight has been officially confirmed, keeping this firmly in the realm of cross-divisional posturing for now
