Ilia Topuria won’t hide his long term goals as a UFC champion, but he’s also going to take on whatever challenge the promotion throws at him.
Just days away from his inaugural title defense at 145 pounds, the Georgian-born fighter recently commented that his dream was becoming the UFC’s first ever three-division champion with plans to conquer lightweight and welterweight after already claiming the featherweight title. But as much as he wants that for himself, Topuria admitted on Wednesday that he’s just as ready to take out lightweight champion Islam Makhachev as he would be if a rematch against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is what comes next.
“Before, I used to make more predictions about that — ‘I want to fight this one or that,’” Topuria explained during UFC 308 media day. “But at the end of the day, I want to do my job, which is to show up and fight and we’ll see what the UFC wants me to do.
“If they call me and they want me to move up to the lightweight division, I will be OK with that moving up and be the first one to submit Islam. If they want me to keep on defending that belt in the featherweight division, I will be OK with that, too. Let’s leave that decision to the UFC.”
There’s always going to be new challenge for a defending champion, but Topuria has the chance to put himself in rarified air if he delivers on his promise to defeat Holloway on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
Considering he already knocked out Volkanovski back in February, Topuria could add another all-time featherweight great to his resume with the upcoming fight against Holloway. That’s certainly not lost on Topuria, who has made a number of bold predictions about his upcoming fight but still maintains respect when it comes to Holloway’s skills and the accolades he’s earned as a 12-year UFC veteran.
“I have all the respect for him,” Topuria said about Holloway. “He’s a great fighter. He has achieved many great things in the sport. You can’t take credit from him. I have learned many, many things from him.
“He called me a fan. Yeah, I followed his career, I’ve been a fan. How can you not be a fan of Max Holloway? He’s been a great example for me but now it’s my time to be that example for the next generation.”
When it comes to the matchup, Topuria has promised that he plans on becoming the first person to finish Holloway with strikes, which is a nod to his power and precision compared to the Hawaiian’s legendary durability in the cage.
In the past, Holloway has called himself the best boxer on the entire UFC roster but Topuria seemingly takes that as a challenge to prove he’s better.
“In reality, he’s a good striker,” Topuria said. “It’s not only boxer because calling himself the best boxer in the UFC is kind of a shame, I think, because he’s not the best boxer in the UFC. But he’s a good striker.
“He has a lot of experience, he’s very patient inside the octagon. But everyone is good when they can develop a style in the octagon and someone is not putting the pressure on him. On Saturday night, he’s going to feel something he never felt with any other opponents that he had in the past. The pressure he’s going to feel with me, it’s going to be completely different.”
Topuria also responded to Holloway’s claim that he hasn’t yet earned the right to meet him in the middle of the octagon and use his signature move, which is pointing to the ground and inviting a slugfest to ensue.
Holloway’s argument was that Topuria doesn’t really understand why he’s famously used that move — a gesture to give an opponent who’s about to lose the fight one last chance at redemption — but none of that seems to matter much to the reigning UFC featherweight champion.
He doesn’t need anybody’s permission so Topuria absolutely plans on making that challenge to start his fight with Holloway but that’s not the only trick he has up his sleeve.
“I never asked him if I deserve that or not,” Topuria said in response. “I will be pointing to the ground since the first second of the fight.
“If he wants to stand with me in the middle, it’s OK and prove he’s the real ‘BMF.’ If he decides [to not do that], it’s OK, too. I’m going to find a different way to finish him and take his head off.”
