Newly-crowned featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, is waiting for someone to step up and fight him, which may sound like a strange remark considering “El Matador” already turned down everyone in the 145-pound weight class, according to this former champ.
Even UFC color commentator, Joe Rogan, claims Topuria is riding the “NO” train.
“I’m aiming for Abu Dhabi,” Topuria recently told Carlos Contreras Legaspi. “I hope someone steps in. I prefer to fight prime time in Spain.”
So why isn’t Topuria already booked to fight red-hot Max Holloway, as requested?
“You should ask Holloway,” Topuria continued. “First he said he needed time to make weight, then that he had family stuff to attend. There are many names that say they want to fight me in public so I hope someone can back up their words. This is what I do, I’m a fighter.”
Holloway, one of the greatest featherweight champions of all time, is the winner of three straight and coming off back-to-back knockout wins over Chan Sung Jung and Justin Gaethje, with the latter leading everyone’s list of “Knockout of the Year.”
UFC 308 is scheduled for Sat., Oct. 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi.