The featherweight star of the UFC has set tongues wagging once again. Ilia Topuria has thrown some serious shade at Conor McGregor. He claims the Irishman doesn’t deserve to share the octagon with him right now. Now that’s gotta sting, even for the thick-skinned McGregor.
“El Matador” has long expressed interest in facing the sport’s biggest star. But Topuria’s patience seems to be wearing thin with McGregor’s extended absence. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Ilia Topuria spoke about his disinterest in fighting ‘The Notorious.’
“I wanted it before, but right now he seems to be retired…Once I’m going to see him back in the game, because right now at this point, he doesn’t deserve to share the octagon with me. I’m the world champion. He was, but right now he’s nobody. He’s not even ranked. So if he comes back, he puts himself into the rankings, why not?” said Topuria.
But Topuria isn’t completely closing the door on a future matchup. He’s just setting some conditions. The featherweight champ has his sights set on bigger fish for now. He’s gearing up to face Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October.
Ilia Topuria also mentioned potential fights with Sean O’Malley and Islam Makhachev. Looks like his dance card is pretty full. So, where does this leave the potential Topuria-McGregor showdown? In limbo, it seems.
The Time When Ilia Topuria Admired Conor McGregor
Ilia Topuria remains one of the best trash-talk backers in the UFC. But there was a time when he showed a softer side. The Spanish-Georgian fighter expressed admiration for the Irish star McGregor.
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Yes, you read that right. The same Topuria who recently claimed McGregor was unworthy of sharing the octagon with him. He praised Conor McGregor’s achievements both inside and outside the octagon and called the Irishman “an icon in the sport.”
“I really have a lot of admiration for [Conor McGregor] and a lot of respect for everything he did in the sport. It’s stupid to hate him. After everything he did in his personal life and all the achievements he had. I don’t like to judge people without knowing them. But he’s an icon in the sport.” said Topuria via Marca.
This show of respect is a far cry from Topuria’s recent comments. But Topuria hadn’t gone soft as he still craved that ‘Red Panty Night.’ Topuria’s comments show the young champion’s mature side. At just 27, he’s already learned the art of respecting his elders.
