UFC 308 is merely a week and a half away, and it looks like Ilia Topuria wants to beef with everyone. Firing shots in every possible direction, the Spaniard seems to be on a warpath that goes beyond Max Holloway. In an ongoing bitter feud with Conor McGregor, the Irish star openly backed Holloway to win the featherweight clash.
McGregor even questioned Topuria’s heritage, calling him fake Spanish. Naturally, these comments did not sit well with Topuria, who ensured that he would pay his nemesis back with his own coins. This is in response to McGregor’s tall claims of making Holloway a better fighter following a loss to him. Topuria chimed by suggesting Holloway’s improvements came after realizing he can’t lose to someone like him.
Nowadays, he beats you easily. Dustin knocked you out in the rematches. Nate beat you two times, Khabib humiliated you, and Floyd gave you a master class in boxing at 50 years old. Take a seat, kid. You’re a fake fighter.
Ilia Topuria via X
The online beef between the two UFC stars surged its head when Ilia Topuria rejected the idea of fighting McGregor. He feels the Irish mixed martial artist is retired and that fighting simply doesn’t interest him anymore. In response to his take, McGregor called him ‘little ding-dong of a thing.’ Since then, the duo has been going at it with neither side pulling their punches.
100% Max has improved after fighting you. He must have realized that if he wanted to make a living from this, he couldn’t be so bad as to lose to someone like you. Nowadays, he beats you easily. Dustin knocked you out in the rematches, Nate beat you two times, Khabib humiliated… https://t.co/OpKVqL4gqM
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) October 16, 2024
The unbeaten star seems to follow McGregor’s footsteps in becoming a champ-champ in the UFC. Taking his aim at 155lbs champion Islam Makhachev, Topuria claimed he would easily beat him. Team Khabib promptly warned the champion of paying a steep price on the streets if he continued to make ill comments. Nevertheless, Topuria has refocused his attention on his first title defense at UFC 308.
Ilia Topuria vows to break Conor McGregor’s record at UFC 308
The Hawaiian star has never experienced a knockdown in his career, but that is something Topuria feels he can change. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Topuria revealed that if Holloway tries to pull his signature point-to-ground move, then he will dispatch him to the retirement home.
As reported, Topuria is looking beyond McGregor’s record. The UFC star feels he can put on a striking clinic and improve on Jorge Masvidal’s record of fastest KO. Throwing caution to the wind, Topuria wants to start the fight by following Holloway’s signature act.
🤯Ilia Topuria says he wants to break the record for the fastest KO in UFC history against Max Holloway:
“I wanna have the fastest knockout in UFC history with my hands because Jorge (Masvidal) has it with a knee, I wanna do it with the hands…
I don’t have any doubts I’m… pic.twitter.com/CItqHlAlrc
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 15, 2024
The 27-year-old wants to put on a show for the fans in Abu Dhabi. He believes his first title defense could set him on the pathway of becoming champ-champ, much like McGregor. Only time will tell whether his plans will take him to the second world title or not after UFC 308.
