You may not witness a fight between former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and former featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria any time soon, but both fighters are creating significant buzz surrounding a potential showdown. In a recent press conference, Topuria did not hold back, labeling Makhachev a 'hypocrite' and accusing him of dodging a fight with him.
Ilia Topuria, who maintains an unbeaten record of 16-0, strongly criticized Makhachev, stating, “(Islam) is the biggest hypocrite I've ever seen. He said he didn't want to give me the opportunity because I was the little guy, and now the little guy is the one looking for the same opportunity. How are you going to criticize my decision when you're doing the same thing right now? I've never seen more hypocrisy in my life.” Topuria's comments reflect his frustration over Makhachev's reluctance to engage in a potential matchup.
Topuria achieved a career milestone in February 2024 when he won the featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. He proved his dominance by successfully defending the title at UFC 308, where he became the first fighter to knock out Max Holloway. After that historic victory, Topuria vacated the featherweight championship to make the jump to the lightweight division, seeking another UFC title.
Islam Makhachev, who holds a record of 27-1, also made a significant move by vacating his lightweight championship to compete in the welterweight division. However, he believes that his situation differs from Topuria's. This contention has fueled an ongoing rivalry, with both fighters exchanging heated words on social media.
On Tuesday, the war of words escalated when Topuria labeled Makhachev a 'coward' and insulted him in Russian by calling him a 'little boy.' Topuria penned on the platform X, “The difference between you and me is that I am a man and you are a coward. I speak and fight; you talk and hide. Run away far, leaving no trace. Ты маленький пацан.”
Makhachev quickly fired back, asserting the distinctions between the two fighters. He responded, “Difference between me and you, that I cleaned the top list in my division and moved to the next, but you ran away from two contenders who had consecutive five to nine victories in the featherweight division. You are nobody in the lightweight division, just a big mouth from Spain with a nice haircut. Go get one win, and we can talk, boy.” Makhachev's statement highlights the disparity in their respective career paths, further amplifying the tension between them.
As of now, Ilia Topuria is set to face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the main event at UFC 317 on June 28. On the other hand, Islam Makhachev is expected to fight the newly crowned welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena, later this year. Both fighters have significant challenges ahead, but their ongoing feud only adds to the anticipation for a future encounter.
Fans are eagerly awaiting to see if Topuria and Makhachev will eventually settle their differences inside the Octagon. With both fighters aiming for glory in their respective divisions, the animosity they share could set the stage for an exciting and highly charged matchup in the future.
