Ilia Topuria has his sights set on Islam Makhachev and says his plan is nothing less than submitting the UFC welterweight champion.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the undefeated star laid out exactly how he envisions a future clash with Makhachev playing out. "When I get the opportunity to fight with someone, I always used to think about what can I do to really shock the world," Topuria said.
"So with Islam, I'm like, to shock the world, I have to submit him. So, this is what I think that's gonna happen. I'm gonna take him down, and I'm gonna submit him," he continued. "... Listen, I know that inside yourself, maybe it sounds a little bit weird, like strange. 'How you gonna take him down? How you gonna submit him?' But don't be surprised when you are gonna see that happen."
Topuria is 17-0 in MMA and 9-0 in the UFC, with UFC titles already captured in two divisions. He has never experienced defeat inside the cage.
Makhachev, 28-1 in MMA and 17-1 in the UFC, is known for his grappling and is viewed by some as the best fighter on the planet. His only professional defeat came via first-round knockout to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in 2015.
Topuria also addressed how he stacks up against other elite names. "He's good. Everyone is good," he said. "Justin (Gaethje) is good. Alex (Volkanovski) is good. Charles (Oliveira) is good. Max (Holloway) is good. Everyone is good, but I'm different. I'm the GOAT. ... Nah, not really. I don't like to claim myself as the GOAT of the sport. I always like to leave those decisions to the fans. They are the ones that make that decision."
