Ilia Topuria has declared he is prepared to shock the world by submitting Islam Makhachev. The post suggests some skepticism about Topuria's bold claim, making a reference to him listening to the song 'Fantazer' (Dreamer). This represents Topuria's latest callout in what appears to be a potential future superfight between champions. No official announcement of such a bout has been made.
Ilia Topuria has turned up the volume on his pursuit of a superfight, publicly declaring he will submit Islam Makhachev and shock the world in the process. The callout, made ahead of any formal booking, drew a measure of skepticism, with observers invoking the Russian word "Fantazer" — meaning "Dreamer" — in response to the Georgian-Spaniard's bold prediction.
Topuria, known as El Matador, enters the conversation riding considerable momentum. The 29-year-old holds a 17-1-0 record and currently competes at lightweight, where he is ranked second in the division. He sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings, a testament to the damage he has done since arriving in the UFC. He generates an impressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute and adds nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes, while also averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — giving some credibility, at least on paper, to his finishing ambitions on the ground.
Makhachev, however, is an entirely different proposition. The 34-year-old Russian is the reigning welterweight champion with a 28-1-0 record and holds the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighting out of Eagles MMA in a southpaw stance, he lands 2.63 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 58 percent accuracy, while averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes. His grappling has long been considered among the most suffocating in the sport, which makes Topuria's specific prediction — a submission victory — the most eyebrow-raising element of the callout.
Why it matters
- A potential superfight between the number-one and number-two pound-for-pound fighters would be one of the most significant matchups in recent UFC history.
- Topuria would need to move up from lightweight to face Makhachev, who now campaigns at welterweight, adding a size and weight dynamic to an already complex puzzle.
- Makhachev's elite grappling makes Topuria's submission claim a direct challenge to the champion's most celebrated weapon.
- No fight has been announced, leaving the bout firmly in the realm of public campaigning for now.
