Ilia Topuria has made a bold statement claiming he is ready to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champion expressed confidence in his ability to finish the lightweight champion by choke. This represents a significant callout considering Makhachev's dominant grappling skills and undefeated lightweight title reign. The post sarcastically questions whether Topuria has listened to the song "Fantazer" (Dreamer), suggesting skepticism about the claim. No official talks about this potential super fight have been confirmed.
Ilia Topuria has thrown down a bold challenge to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, publicly claiming he is ready to shock the world by submitting the Russian champion with a choke.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," currently holds a 17-1-0 record and sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings despite competing at lightweight, where he is ranked second. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who trains out of Climent Club, is one of the sport's most prolific finishers. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, underlining that his grappling ambitions are more than talk.
Makhachev, however, represents an enormous obstacle. The 34-year-old Russian is the reigning welterweight champion and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, carrying a 28-1-0 record. Standing five feet ten with a 70-inch reach, he is one of the most complete grapplers in the sport, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and an identical 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, all while landing strikes at 58 percent accuracy. His control on the mat is widely regarded as elite, which makes Topuria's specific claim of finishing him by choke all the more striking.
No official discussions between the two camps have been confirmed, and the callout remains a public statement without a formal booking in place.
Why it matters
- Topuria is ranked number one pound-for-pound, meaning a win over Makhachev would cement a generational legacy claim
- Makhachev's grappling dominance makes the submission callout a direct challenge to his greatest strength
- A potential clash between the featherweight and lightweight titleholders would carry significant cross-divisional prestige
