Ilia Topuria has stated that he is ready to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champion expressed confidence in his grappling abilities against the lightweight champion, suggesting he could finish the Dagestani fighter by submission. The post includes a reference to a song called "Fantazer" (Dreamer), seemingly mocking Topuria's ambitious claims. While Topuria's statement represents a bold callout, there has been no indication from the UFC or Makhachev's camp about this potential matchup materializing.
Ilia Topuria is setting his sights on Islam Makhachev, declaring publicly that he would shock the world by submitting the reigning lightweight champion. The featherweight king made the bold claim with full confidence in his grappling credentials, insisting he could finish the Dagestani via submission. As of now, neither the UFC nor Makhachev's camp has indicated any movement toward making the fight a reality.
Topuria, nicknamed "El Matador," carries a 17-1-0 record and holds the featherweight title while sitting at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who trains out of Climent Club, stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and has established himself as one of the most dangerous finishers in the sport. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that underpin his confidence on the ground.
Makhachev, meanwhile, is the welterweight champion with a 28-1-0 record and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter on the planet before Topuria's recent ascent reshuffled those standings. The 34-year-old Russian from Eagles MMA stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and is widely regarded as one of the elite grapplers in MMA. He averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts in the same span, posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent. Makhachev's camp appeared to greet Topuria's callout with a reference to the song "Fantazer" — meaning "Dreamer" — a pointed response to what they clearly view as an overreach.
Why it matters
- Topuria moving up to lightweight would be a full two-division climb from his featherweight title reign
- A potential matchup would pit the number-one and number-two pound-for-pound fighters against each other
- The stylistic contrast is stark: Makhachev's elite wrestling versus Topuria's submission threat and heavy striking output
- No official negotiations have been reported, leaving this firmly in the realm of a public callout
