Ilia Topuria has stated that he is ready to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev if they fight. The post includes a humorous reference to a song titled 'Fantazer' (Dreamer), suggesting skepticism about Topuria's claim. No details were provided about whether such a fight is actually being negotiated or when it might take place. Topuria holds the UFC featherweight title while Makhachev is the lightweight champion, making this a potential super fight scenario.
Ilia Topuria has declared he is prepared to submit Islam Makhachev, calling his shot at a potential cross-divisional super fight and insisting he would shock the world in doing so. The featherweight-turned-lightweight contender made the bold claim publicly, though no negotiations or timeline for such a matchup have been confirmed.
Topuria, known as El Matador, holds a 17-1-0 record and currently sits second in the lightweight rankings, as well as first in the pound-for-pound standings. The 29-year-old Spaniard out of Climent Club stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He produces an impressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, giving some credibility to his grappling ambitions despite being widely viewed as a striker first.
Standing across from him in this hypothetical matchup would be Islam Makhachev, the reigning lightweight champion and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to the AgentMMA rankings. The 34-year-old Russian from Eagles MMA carries a 28-1-0 record and is one of the sport's most complete fighters. At five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, he holds a size advantage over Topuria and averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes while landing 58 percent of his significant strikes — among the highest accuracy rates in the division.
Why it matters
- Topuria moving to lightweight sets up one of the most compelling super fight scenarios in the sport today
- A submission finish of Makhachev would be a historic upset given the champion's elite grappling pedigree
- The P4P rankings would be dramatically reshuffled, with Topuria currently ranked just behind Makhachev at number one
- Style-wise, Topuria's aggression and submission threat collide with Makhachev's suffocating wrestling and control game
