Topuria Opens the Door to a Blockbuster Fight

Ilia Topuria, the Spanish-Georgian UFC fighter, made headlines after his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he openly discussed his ambitions in the UFC. Known as "The Legend," the former featherweight champion revealed that he’s willing to wait until fall to fight for the lightweight belt, whether it’s against Islam Makhachev or another contender if the Russian moves up to welterweight after UFC 315.

However, Topuria didn't rule out another option. He confirmed that there's one fight that could tempt him right now: a showdown against Conor McGregor. “We had some talks about Conor McGregor, just a little,” said Topuria. “If they offer me the fight with McGregor now, why not? If he wants to beat me, he’d have to die and be born again.”

Eyes on Lightweight Gold and a Dream Bout at Bernabéu

The UFC has reportedly promised Topuria a shot at the lightweight belt in exchange for vacating his featherweight title, which is now back with Alexander Volkanovski. The 28-year-old has no intention of taking any other fight unless it’s for the championship—except for a clash with McGregor, of course.

If he wins the title, Topuria already has a venue and an opponent in mind for his first defense: he’d like to face Paddy Pimblett at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.

A bout between Topuria and McGregor seems unlikely due to their current career trajectories. Topuria is coming off dominant wins over Volkanovski and Max Holloway, while McGregor hasn’t stepped into the octagon in nearly four years.

Still, with both fighters being headline attractions, a bout between the fiery Spaniard and the Irish icon would undoubtedly capture global attention—if it ever materializes.