Ilia Topuria has declared that he is prepared to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champion's bold statement suggests confidence in his grappling abilities against the lightweight titleholder, who is widely regarded as one of the best grapplers in MMA. No official fight between the two has been announced. The post humorously questions Topuria's confidence with a reference to the song 'Fantazer' ('Dreamer').
Ilia Topuria has publicly declared he will submit Islam Makhachev, issuing one of the boldest callouts in recent UFC memory despite no official bout agreement being in place.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," carries a 17-1-0 record and currently competes at lightweight, where he holds the number-two divisional ranking and sits first in the pound-for-pound standings. The 29-year-old Spaniard is one of the most active offensive fighters in the UFC, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 48 percent. He also averages 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that back up his stated confidence in his grappling credentials.
Standing across from him in this prospective matchup is Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion out of Russia and the pound-for-pound number-one fighter in the world. The 34-year-old carries a 28-1-0 record and is universally regarded as one of the premier grapplers in mixed martial arts. Fighting out of a southpaw stance, Makhachev averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes of his own, while posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent. He trains alongside world-class wrestling talent at Eagles MMA, which makes Topuria's submission claim all the more striking.
The callout drew a humorous reaction online, with observers referencing the song "Fantazer," meaning "Dreamer," in response to Topuria's declaration.
Why it matters
- Topuria at number one pound-for-pound would be moving up to challenge a champion widely considered the division's most dangerous grappler
- A potential crossover bout between two active champions carries significant divisional stakes at both lightweight and welterweight
- The stylistic contrast is sharp: Topuria's high-volume striking and submission game against Makhachev's suffocating wrestling-based control
