Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vs. former Featherweight kingpin and Baddest Motherf—ker (BMF) Max Holloway is going down later this month (Sat., Oct. 26, 2024) at UFC 308 inside Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and it’s going to be awesome.
The Featherweight studs finally came face-to-face (virtually) recently, and it got heated. Towards the end of their ESPN interview, in which the two verbally sparred for 18 minutes, Holloway mocked Topuria for his English, and it backfired.
“I don’t need to say anything new; I only need to tell you the truth. I say, say, say,” Topuria said, and then Holloway mocked him for stuttering. “Bro, shut the f—k up. I’m speaking in your language. Let’s talk in Spanish, let’s talk in Georgian, let’s talk in Russian, let’s talk in German. What the f—k are you talking about, man? [Topuria speaks in Spanish]. If you wanna talk in English, whatever you want to do, boy…October 26, bring the same energy. In the first 10 seconds, you’re going to realize.”
Holloway seemed speechless after Topuria informed him of the languages he speaks. Topuria speaks fluent Spanish, German, and Georgian. English is his fourth language, and he speaks it surprisingly well.
Rightfully, “Blessed” was criticized on social media for making fun of Topuria’s English.
I love Max, but you’re always going to take an L whenever you make fun of someone’s third or fourth language and you only speak one. 10-8, Topuria.
Also, Topuria’s vastly diminished as a trash talker when he’s speaking English.pic.twitter.com/VA1lSQKOsQ
— Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv) October 10, 2024
English is Ilia’s 5th language and he still cooks Max. These Americans can barely speak their own language and they think they do something by saying “haha you are struggling speaking my language”
— ILIA TOPURIA FIGHT MONTH (@17Onti) October 10, 2024
Holloway is my favorite fighter of all time like ever but speaking in a 5th language is crazy, masterin 2 is hard, you always sound better in the one you speak the most
— anthony J medina (@AntRiveraMedina) October 10, 2024
hate the caption but 10-8 Ilia here for sure
— Roberto (@RobertBoucherSr) October 10, 2024
Especially since max himself doesn’t have good English lol
— Brandon (@Edwrds21) October 10, 2024
If this virtual face-to-face was anything, the trash talk will only intensify.
The good thing is the mixed martial arts (MMA) world only has to wait two more weeks for the two Featherweights to collide for the title.