Last weekend, the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi hosted the electrifying UFC 308 PPV. The night’s main highlight was the much-anticipated fight between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. Following the bout, the community had a significant buzz, mainly praising Topuria’s performance. In the middle of that, there was one intriguing moment during the post-fight interview when Ilia Topuria was asked about street fights.
A few weeks ago, Topuria found himself in a verbal altercation with several Dagestani fighters. Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria exchanged barbs regarding who would fare better in a street fight between them. Interestingly, shortly after this exchange, a Russian reporter questioned Topuria about his street-fighting expertise, noting that he was born in Germany. In response, Topuria lashed out at the reporter.
Who brought this guy here?… You’re gonna have to stand up and leave the room by yourself…
Ilia Topuria to a reporter at the Post-fight presser
Makhachev wasn’t the only one involved in the heated argument about street fighting with Topuria. After the Spaniard’s remarks about defeating the lightweight champion, other Dagestani fighters also criticized him. However, he didn’t entertain the reporter’s comments, considering that Topuria is currently gaining popularity. Topuria’s current standing in the promotion results from his impressive fight record.
Ilia Topuria went back and forth with a Russian reporter 😳
Ilia: “Who brought this guy here?”
Reporter: “I’ve come by myself.”
Ilia: “So you’re gonna have to stand up and leave the room by yourself.”
Reporter: “Why’s that?”#UFC #MMA #UFC308 pic.twitter.com/VVAu0YzCjt
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 26, 2024
Speaking of his impressive UFC career, he has recently defeated two of the most formidable featherweight fighters. First, he claimed the featherweight crown by defeating Alexander Volkanovski. Shortly after, he secured another victory over BMF champion Max Holloway at UFC 308. These back-to-back outstanding performances raise the question of who Topuria’s next potential opponent might be.
Aljamain Sterling urges for Conor McGregor vs. Ilia Topuria next
Ilia Topuria also engaged in a back-and-forth with Conor McGregor during his intense rivalry with the Dagestani fighters. The two exchanged insults multiple times, with McGregor even hoping for Topuria’s defeat in his latest fight. Notably, they also discussed the possibility of facing each other in the octagon, a topic that Aljamain Sterling recently acknowledged.
Conor McGregor has been absent from the octagon since his last bout in 2021. Recently, discussions have emerged surrounding the possibility of his comeback in 2025. Amid this speculation, former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling weighed in with his thoughts. Sterling expressed his interest in seeing a matchup between Topuria and McGregor.
Hear me out…. Topuria vs. McGregor…. Is there a bigger money fight??…
Aljamain Sterling via X (@funkmasterMMA)
Hear me out…..
Topuria vs McGregor
Is there a bigger money fight??#TheWeeklyScrapsPodcast let’s talk about it!
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) October 26, 2024
McGregor is known for generating significant PPV numbers. Given Topuria’s rising prominence in the promotion, Sterling believes a matchup between the Spaniard and the Irishman would be massive. However, it will be interesting to see how Topuria’s future unfolds, especially since a rematch with Volkanovski currently appears as an obvious option.
