Ilia Topuria has always been characterized by being one step ahead. For everything. But especially in the face of the sporting commitment he is facing. Let’s see. When in January 2024 he did the last media day for his fight against Alexander Volkanovski, in which he finally won the UFC featherweight world title, Topuria was already talking about the possibility of facing Conor McGregor at the Santiago Bernabéu . Something that was utopian, but that served to move the headlines. He wanted media noise and he got it.
At the moment in which El Matador, as the Spanish-Georgian champion is nicknamed, knew that his next fight was to defend his title against Max Holloway, Topuria’s statements already took that victory for granted and began to create a rivalry with the champion of the upper weight division, the lightweight, Islam Makhachev, pupil of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Some words that, based on the public reactions of the Russian monarch, had an effect to be in the conversation.
Finally, Topuria knocked out Max Holloway and successfully defended his belt, with the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi as the privileged setting. El Matador thus conquered the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the place where Makhachev had been the main fight for several years. And in that continuation of the media controversy with Topuria, the Russian fighter recently published a phrase that, without a doubt, is a message for the Hispanic-Georgian. “Abu Dhabi is my sand”Makhachev noted, remembering that it is Muslim territory and that he is a superstar there.
Be that as it may, the rivalry between Topuria and Dagestan is still far from being resolved. And Makhachev will have to defend his lightweight title against the tough Arman Tsarukyan on January 18. If he beats the Armenian again, the Hispanic-Georgian could have the opportunity to attack that title, although the UFC plans for him to continue defending his featherweight belt, at least once again.
Of course, if both fighters continue victorious, right now the Topuria vs Makhachev It would be the largest fight that the American company could do worldwide, along with the Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall in heavyweight. That is why, taking into account that the UFC is a business as well as a sports league, this historic fight could end up happening one day.
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