Ilia Topuria, the rising UFC featherweight star, has expressed his desire to fight former champion Max Holloway but on one condition.
Ilia Topuria made the announcement on the UFC Jacksonville post-fight show, stating that he would entertain a fight against Holloway prior to a title shot, but only if it happens in Spain.
Ilia Topuria, who is now currently ranked #5 in the featherweight division, after a dominant win against former title challenger Josh Emmett. The Georgian fighter has a perfect record of 14-0, with six of those wins coming in the UFC. He has quickly established himself as one of the top prospects in the division and is now eyeing a fight against one of the best fighters in the entire featherweight division. Now being in the top-5 of the division he is searching for his first title shot and a fight against someone of Holloway’s caliber could do the trick.
Max Holloway, who is a former UFC featherweight champion, is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the sport. He has a record of 24-7 and has fought some of the biggest names in the division, including Conor McGregor, Jose Aldo, and Brian Ortega. Holloway is currently ranked #2 in the division and is coming off a dominant win against Arnold Allen and will be fighting “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung at UFC Singapore. Chan Sung Jung called out Holloway right after his dominant performance of Arnold Allen and while it may be his retirement fight he will be looking to go out on top against one of the great featherweights in the history of this sport.
While Topuria’s callout of Holloway may seem ambitious, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Holloway has been open to fighting anyone in the division and has even expressed interest in moving up to lightweight. A fight between Topuria and Holloway would be a fascinating matchup between two of the best strikers in the division. Holloway has proven time and time again throughout his career that he is the best boxer in the UFC as he claims and certainly Topuria will have something to say about that when they eventually are able to throw down inside the octagon.
However, the condition that the fight must take place in Spain may prove to be a challenge. The UFC has not held an event in Spain since 2019, and there are currently no plans for a return to the country. Topuria’s desire to fight in Spain may be a reflection of his roots, as he was born in the country and has expressed his love for the culture and people.
While a fight between the two may not happen anytime soon, it’s a matchup that would undoubtedly generate a lot of interest among fans. Topuria’s desire to fight in Spain adds an interesting wrinkle to the story and shows his pride in his heritage. As Topuria continues to climb the ranks of the featherweight division, it will be exciting to see who he faces next and whether his dream of fighting in Spain will come true.