Ilia Topuria has stated he is prepared to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The Georgian featherweight champion expressed confidence in his grappling abilities against the lightweight champion. Topuria's bold claim suggests he believes he can defeat Makhachev in an area widely considered the Dagestani fighter's strength. No official fight announcement or timeline has been made for this potential matchup. The post included a rhetorical question referencing a song, suggesting skepticism about Topuria's claims. This represents another instance of Topuria calling out Makhachev as a potential future opponent.
Ilia Topuria has publicly declared he is ready to submit Islam Makhachev, issuing one of his boldest challenges yet to the lightweight champion and signaling his desire to move up a division and unify elite status across two weight classes.
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 in the division. The 29-year-old Spanish-Georgian fighter stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and fights out of Climent Club. He lands an impressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, which forms the basis of his confidence on the ground.
Makhachev, the welterweight champion fighting out of Russia's Eagles MMA, carries a 28-1-0 record and holds the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings at 34 years old. The southpaw stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and has built his reputation on elite Dagestani grappling, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and a 58 percent striking accuracy. His submission attempts per 15 minutes also sit at 1.1, matching Topuria in that specific metric.
No official fight announcement or scheduled timeline exists for this potential matchup, making Topuria's statement a callout rather than a confirmed booking.
Why it matters
- Topuria is calling out Makhachev in grappling specifically, directly challenging the area considered the Dagestani's greatest strength
- A victory for either fighter would carry significant pound-for-pound implications, with both men currently occupying the top two spots on that list
- Topuria moving to lightweight to face Makhachev would represent a high-stakes two-division unification scenario with rare crossover appeal
