Ilia Topuria declared that he is ready to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The bold statement represents Topuria's confidence in his grappling abilities against one of the sport's top grapplers. The post sarcastically questioned whether Topuria has listened to a song called "Dreamer," suggesting skepticism about his ability to achieve such a feat. No timeline or official announcement of a Topuria-Makhachev fight exists at this time.
Ilia Topuria has made a bold public declaration, stating he will shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The callout, made ahead of any officially announced matchup between the two fighters, drew immediate skepticism from observers who questioned whether Topuria is being realistic about his chances on the ground against one of the sport's premier grapplers.
Topuria, known by his nickname "El Matador," carries a 17-1-0 record and is currently ranked number two in the lightweight division while sitting at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings at just 29 years old. The Spanish fighter is one of the most active strikers in the sport, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute, and also averages 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes, suggesting his grappling confidence is not without some basis.
Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion at 34 years old, enters any conversation as one of the most accomplished grapplers in MMA today. The Russian fighter holds a 28-1-0 record and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings at number zero. He averages 3.2 takedowns per fifteen minutes and matches Topuria's 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes, while also posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent — among the highest in the sport.
Why it matters
- Topuria's callout sets up a potential cross-divisional clash between the top two pound-for-pound fighters on the roster
- A win for either man would carry massive rankings implications across both the lightweight and welterweight divisions
- The stylistic contrast is significant: Topuria is a high-volume striker claiming he can beat Makhachev at his own grappling game
- No fight has been officially announced, leaving this firmly in the realm of a public callout rather than a confirmed booking
