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Video – UFC champ Ilia Topuria shows off his power ahead of proposed title fight with Max Holloway

Video - UFC champ Ilia Topuira shows off his power ahead of proposed title fight with Max Holloway It looks like Ilia Topuria is getting ready for his first featherweight title defense. In February, ‘El Matador’ shocked…

It looks like Ilia Topuria is getting ready for his first featherweight title defense.

In February, ‘El Matador’ shocked the world with a stunning second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski, capturing the 145-pound crown and kicking off a new era in one of the promotion’s most stacked divisions.

In the time since, former champion Max Holloway has emerged as the next man in line following his buzzer-beaking KO of Justin Gaethje to claim the BMF belt at UFC 300.

The UFC has not made any official announcements, but all signs point toward Topuria putting his belt on the line against ‘Blessed’ in a scrap expected to go down in late summer/early fall.

Recently, Topuria offered fight fans a glimpse of what awaits Holloway inside the Octagon via his Instagram Stories.

Thus far, Ilia Topuria is a perfect 15-0 in his mixed martial arts career with a greater than 50% finish rate, including eight submissions and five knockouts. Under the UFC banner, he’s already earned finishes over the likes of Damon Jackson, Ryan Hall, Jai Herbert, Bryce Mitchell, and of course, Alexander Volkanovksi.

Ilia Topuria vows to be the first man to KO Max Holloway

Surprisingly, Topuria and Holloway have not yet crossed paths. In his dozen-year-long career with the UFC, ‘Blessed’ has faced practically everyone who’s run through 145, including Conor McGregor, Clay Collard, Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira, Jeremy Stephens, Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega, Frankie Edgar, Calvin Kattar, Yair Rodriguez, The Korean Zombie, and the aforementioned Volkanovski.

Perhaps even more impressive than his resume is the fact that despite fighting a murderer’s row of featherweight talent, Max Holloway has never once been KO’d in his career.

That’s something Topuria plans to change in their impending clash.

“There is always the first time [for a knockout],” Topuria told Sportskeeda. “This is going to be the first time that someone is going to knock him (Holloway) out, and I’m the one who’s gonna do that. I see the first time we’re gonna start to exchange the hands, I’m gonna take his lights out, for sure. I know that. I just need one clear punch and I have the power to put him to sleep.”

Ilia Topuria targeting September clash with BMF titleholder Max Holloway: ‘We are in the conversations’

Ilia Topuria knows the who. Now he’s just waiting on the when. After Max Holloway’s incredible buzzer-beating KO of…

Ilia Topuria knows the who. Now he’s just waiting on the when.

After Max Holloway’s incredible buzzer-beating KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, ‘Blessed’ was all but guaranteed a chance to challenge ‘El Matador’ for the featherweight title.

During a recent interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Topuria revealed that Holloway will be his first challenger with a target date of September, presumably at UFC 306 when the promotion makes its debut inside The Sphere in Las Vegas.

“My target is to come back in September. Right now we are in the conversations,” Holloway said. “If Max Holloway is able to fight in September, we have a fight. If not, maybe we are going to the end of the year or something like that. I want to fight as soon as possible because next year I wanna fight in Spain.”

Though he has yet to defend his 145-pound crown since his sensational second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski in February, Ilia Topuria is already making an itinerary that will take him into 2025 and beyond.

Once he takes care of some business with Holloway, the Georgian has his sights set on a big-money matchup with Irish megastar Conor McGregor.

“I hope to defend the belt with Max Holloway, and then I wanna fight with Conor McGregor,” Topuria added. “It’s gonna be the biggest fight in MMA history.”

Ilia Topuria not interested in a superfight with Islam makhachev… for now

Topuria is even open to a potential scrap with Islam Makhachev — assuming the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ continues to reign over the lightweight division with an iron fist.

“Maybe [I could fight Islam] in the future,” Topuria said. “Right now I just see the Max Holloway fight, the Conor fight. Maybe if [Islam] keeps defending the belt and he keeps becoming bigger and bigger, maybe one day we can see that fight too. But for the moment he’s not in my list.”

Islam Makhachev’s coach warns Max Holloway away from title fight at lightweight: ‘It will be gruelling’

Javier Mendez, the head coach of Islam Makhachev has warned Max Holloway over a potential fight between the two….

Javier Mendez, the head coach of Islam Makhachev has warned Max Holloway over a potential fight between the two.

Holloway is coming off a thrilling fifth-round knockout win over Justin Gaethje to win the BMF title. After the win, Holloway called out Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title, as he would return to his weight class. But, many fans wanted to see him stay at lightweight and fight Makhachev for the lightweight title.

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If Holloway does stay at 155lbs and face Makhachev, Mendez believes it will be a long night for the Hawaiian.

“Justin Gaethje doesn’t use his wrestling. Islam Makhachev is not gonna go and stand with Max. He’s gonna take him down…so, it will be a grueling situation for Max. So, I don’t look at him as a huge threat,” Mendez said to Submission Radio.

Islam Makhachev calls for division move after UFC 302 I've already beat everyone at lightweight — Mandatory Credit: Giuseppe Cacece

Currently, Makhachev is set to defend his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier on June 1 in Newark, New Jersey. Should he win that, Holloway could face Makhachev for the belt, but if it does happen, Mendez does think it will be a tough fight for him.

Islam Makhachev shot down Max Holloway matchup

Although Javier Mendez believes Max Holloway will have a long night against Islam Makhachev, the lightweight champ hasn’t shown much interest in the fight.

After UFC 300, Makhachev says Arman Tsarukyan will be next after Poirier as he believes Holloway would need to win a couple of fights at 155lbs to get a title shot, so he doesn’t have much interest in the scrap.

“If he beats a couple more guys in my division, we can fight,” Makhachev told the New York Post. “I don’t want to give him chance now because I have some contenders who I have to beat. Now I have Dustin, after we’ll have Arman [Tsarukyan]. I think I’ll have some [work] in my division, he has [work] in his division. Maybe if he wins his next fight. Maybe [if] he beats [Ilia] Topuria, and I finish all of my two fights, maybe.”

Makhachev has also hinted at moving up to welterweight to try and become a champ-champ should he beat Poirier at UFC 302.

Islam Makhachev’s coach warns Max Holloway away from title fight at lightweight: ‘It will be gruelling’

Javier Mendez, the head coach of Islam Makhachev has warned Max Holloway over a potential fight between the two….

Javier Mendez, the head coach of Islam Makhachev has warned Max Holloway over a potential fight between the two.

If Holloway does stay at 155lbs and face Makhachev, Mendez believes it will be a long night for the Hawaiian.

Islam Makhachev shot down Max Holloway matchup

Although Javier Mendez believes Max Holloway will have a long night against Islam Makhachev, the lightweight champ hasn’t shown much interest in the fight.

Makhachev has also hinted at moving up to welterweight to try and become a champ-champ should he beat Poirier at UFC 302.

Edson Barboza calls for BMF title fight with Max Holloway after UFC Vegas 92 return: ‘Bro, imagine’

Ahead of his return to the Octagon this weekend at UFC Vegas 92, fan-favorite striker, Edson Barboza has staked…

Ahead of his return to the Octagon this weekend at UFC Vegas 92, fan-favorite striker, Edson Barboza has staked his claim for a symbolic BMF championship fight with recently-minted titleholder, Max Holloway – claiming if anybody deserves it based on highlights, it’s him.

Barboza, the current number twelve ranked featherweight contender, returns to the Octagon this weekend in a high-stakes clash with Manchester native Lerone Murphy – in search of his third consecutive victory at the weight class.

Edson Barboza scores decision win over Sodiq Yusuff in rallying striking victory UFC Vegas 81 Highlights — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Out of action since an impressive unanimous decision win over Sodiq Yusuff back in October of last year in the main event of UFC Vegas 81, prior to that, Nova Friburgo veteran, Barboza had landed a stunning first round knee KO win over Billy Quarantillo.

Edson Barboza eyes BMF title fight with Max Holloway

Racking up another highlight-reel finish amongst a career of shocking knockout finishes, Brazilian star, Barboza has floated a future BMF title fight with Hawiian favorite, Holloway, claiming his résumé of stoppages should firmly cement him as a deserving challenger.

“If one guy deserves to fight for the BMF title, it’s me,” Edson Barboza said during his media availability ahead of UFC Vegas 92. “Who has better highlight knockouts than me? Bro, imagine. I love Max Holloway, he’s one of my favorite fighters ever. I love to watch him fight, and he’s a very nice guy, very family guy, but imagine a fight against him for the BMF belt.”

“It’s going to be very, very good for me and him and the company,” Edson Barboza explained. “Like I said, I have 30 fights in the UFC. I think I deserve that. Of course, my focus is 100 percent on the next one, but I think it’s going to be good.”

gettyimages 2148564266 612x612 1 — Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Himself landing the symbolic BMF crown at UFC 300 back in April, Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight champion landed a stunning buzzer-beating knockout win over Justin Gaethje.

And linked with a return at both the lightweight and featherweight limit, Holloway has been favored to take on incumbent 145lbs champion, Ilia Topuria in a blockbuster showdown next.

Who would win in a potential BMF title clash: Max Holloway or Edson Barboza?

Islam Makhachev rules out fight with Max Holloway ahead of UFC 302 return: ‘I need contenders from my division’

Ahead of his return next month at UFC 302, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has once more turned down…

Ahead of his return next month at UFC 302, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has once more turned down a fight with recent BMF title winner, Max Holloway, claiming he first needs to focus on contenders from his own division.

Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion and current pound-for-pound number one, is slated to headline UFC 302 at the beginning of next month in New Jersey, taking on soon-to-be common-foe, former interim titleholder, Dustin Poirier.

Islam Makhachev shuts down title fight with Max Holloway I don't want to give him the chance — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

As for Hawaiian favorite, Holloway, the former featherweight gold holder featured on the main card of UFC 300 last month, landing a spectacular buzzer-beating knockout win over former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje.

Islam Makhachev rules out title fight with Max Holloway

And weighing up the possibility of taking on Makhachev as he appears to have the pick of the bunch of title fights off the back of his symbolic title fight win over Gaethje, Holloway’s chances of fighting for gold at 155lbs have been shot down definitively by the Russian.

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“Honestly, Max (Holloway) has a job in his division,” Islam Makhachev said during an appearance on Good Guy / Bad Guy. “I don’t want to give a chance to Max because people are still talking about me not defending my belt against the lightweight guys.”

“I need some real contenders from my division,” Islam Makhachev explained. “I want to clean my division and fight for the welterweight [championship].”

And hoping to fight for the welterweight crown as mentioned, American Kickboxing Academy staple, Makhachev has vowed to take on incumbent gold holder, Leon Edwards – as soon as he completes his fight against Lafayette veteran, Poirier.

Islam Makhachev issues ultimatum to UFC I'll be ready to smash in March or see you after Ramadan — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Last featuring at UFC 294 back in October of last year in Abu Dhabi, Makhachev turned in a dominant victory over former featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski in the pair’s rematch, courtesy of a high-kick KO win in the Middle East.

Who wins in a potential title fight: Islam Makhachev or Max Holloway?