Duel of the century heats up: “You are nobody in lightweight division, just a big mouth from Spain with a nice haircut”
UFC fighters Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev have traded public barbs after it was confirmed they won’t meet for the lightweight title.
Ilia Topuria has branded Islam Makhachev a “hypocrite” after it was confirmed that the pair won’t face off for the UFC Lightweight Championship.
Topuria poised for Oliveira as Makhachev eyes welterweight title
After much uncertainty, Topuria is set to face Charles Oliveira for the now-vacant lightweight title at UFC 317, on June 28 in Las Vegas.
The Hispano-Georgian last month vacated his featherweight title ahead of an attempt at the lightweight championship.
However, he won’t take on Makhachev, after the Russian gave up his lightweight crown with a view to a welterweight title bout with Jack Della Maddalena.
“Biggest hypocrite I’ve ever seen”
“He [Makhachev] is the biggest hypocrite I’ve ever seen in my life,” Topuria told a press conference on Thursday.
“He told me he wouldn’t give me a chance [at challenging him for his lightweight title] because I was the smaller guy, and now he’s the small one seeking the same opportunity I wanted.
“So, it’s like he criticized a decision, an action of mine, when he’s now doing the exact same thing. I’ve never seen such hypocrisy, but that’s how he’s being advised, I guess.”
“Get one W and we can talk”
Clearly displeased with Topuria’s comments, Makhachev took to social-media to suggest he was unwilling to face a fighter without a lightweight victory on his resumé. “Get one W [win], and we can talk, boy,” he wrote on X.
Difference between me and you, that I cleaned top list in my division, moved to next, but you ran away from two contenders who had consecutive 5-9 wins in FW division. You are nobody in LW division, just a big mouth from Spain with nice haircut. Go get one W, and we can talk boy
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) May 15, 2025
Having retained his lightweight title in January, Makhachev had been waiting to decide his next move until UFC 315 last weekend. In Canada on Saturday, Belal Muhammad - the welterweight champion Makhachev didn’t want to face - faced a title defense against Della Maddalena.
Muhammad lost, paving the way for Makhachev to face Della Maddalena, but the Russian surprisingly declared that he wouldn’t vacate his lightweight belt and would fight to hold UFC titles across two divisions.
On Wednesday, however, UFC chief Dana White announced that Makhachev’s title would be vacated, for Topuria and Oliveira to contest.
This news delighted MMA fans but left a bittersweet taste, as a fight between Topuria and Makhachev would have been the bout of the decade.
“I am a man and you are a coward”
Topuria, visibly frustrated, didn’t hesitate to speak out against Makhachev, who responded on X: “Difference between me and you, that I cleaned top list in my division, moved to next, but you ran away from two contenders who had consecutive 5-9 wins in FW [featherweight] division.
“You are nobody in LW [lightweight] division, just a big mouth from Spain with a nice haircut.”
In response, Topuria wrote on X: “The difference between you and me is that I am a man and you are a coward. I speak and fight, you talk and hide. Run away far, leaving no trace.” He added, in Russian: “You’re a little boy.”
The difference between you and me is that I am a man and you are a coward. I speak and fight. you talk and hide. Run away far, leaving no trace. Ты маленький пацан. https://t.co/kDuhhdIB8t
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) May 15, 2025
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