Topuria to Makhachev: ‘You can’t keep avoiding me’

In knocking down two of the biggest featherweights in UFC history in Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, Ilia Topuria has opted move up to the lightweight division.

In February 2024, Topuria knocked out Volkanovski in second round of UFC 298. He then defended his title from knocking out Holloway at UFC 308 last October.

He relinquished the title to attempt becoming a two-division UFC champion, but lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev doesn’t think Topuria deserves a 155-pound title fight.

Topuria says that the fight promotion promised him a title fight against Makhachev and that he’d wait as long as it takes to get it.

“I would like to fight with Islam, that’s for sure. I would like to fight him,” said Topuria on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. “I wouldn’t fight for a No. 1 contender fight. If Islam decides he doesn’t want to fight me, I don’t care. I’ll sit until you’re going to have to fight me. You say that you are a world champion, that you’re going to keep dominating the division, all that. I’m here. You can’t keep avoiding me all the time,” Topuria said.

Topuria continued, “I don’t think they would put me on the sidelines, because I vacated the belt because I told them I wouldn’t fight at 145 again, but I got a promise that I would fight for the title in my next fight. So, how much time you will stop me from fighting?”