Ilia Topuria is keeping his sights firmly on Justin Gaethje as he prepares to unify the lightweight title against the interim champion at UFC Freedom 250, set for Sunday at the White House in Washington DC.
Topuria enters the headliner as the lightweight champion with a 17-0 MMA record, including 9-0 in the UFC, while Gaethje brings a 27-5 MMA mark and a 10-5 UFC record into the unification bout.
Asked about a hypothetical showdown with retired great Khabib Nurmagomedov, Topuria quickly dismissed the idea. "Leave the man alone; he's already retired," he said, later adding, "How it would play out? I don't know. And I guess we're never going to know. I don't think he's going to come back ever. So, I have nothing but respect for Khabib, he had an amazing run in the UFC and during his whole professional career. So, right now, I think it's not worth it to talk about him."
Topuria also made it clear his mentality has shifted now that he holds the belt. "And again, I've gone for a long time. I was in a position of a contender. They had to knock on people's doors and get my opportunity. Now, I think I've earned the spot of being someone that has what people want, and if you want a piece of this, go ahead and knock on the door. We'll be waiting for you."
