Ilia Topuria claims he will make Islam Makhachev "suffer" in potential mega title fight: "There is no one who can overshadow me”

Reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will face Max Holloway at UFC 308 on Saturday, October 26, in the United Arab Emirates. However, ahead of the fight, he stated in a recent interview that if he fought Islam Makhachev, he would make Makhachev suffer a lot.

Topuria mentioned on a YouTube channel named Kolmenero that he knows the style and technique of Dagestani fighters and that Makhachev has never faced someone like him. He stated (translated):

“I know what bothers them, what doesn't bother them. So, for me, even if it seems like a very difficult fight, I would make Islam suffer a lot. Too much...I'm a guy who has impeccable physical preparation. In the fifth round, I am the same as in the first and I represent a threat at any second of the fight.

"A style that Islam has never ever faced in his life, and will never face unless he faces me...So that is why I say that right now, there is no one who can overshadow me.”

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below:

Check out Ilia Tuporia’a full interview below:

The Spaniard and Makhachev’s teammates have been going back and forth on social media. This started when Topuria expressed his desire to fight the reigning lightweight champion.

Usman Nurmagomedov, the Bellator lightweight champion, stepped into the exchanges, calling for a street fight. 'El Matador' responded that he would not fight Makhachev in the streets because "he’d have to pay for his medical bills."

---

Max Holloway stated that he won't fall for Ilia Topuria's silly challenge

Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria have been going back and forth ahead of their clash. In one interview, Topuria challenged Holloway, saying he would meet him in the center of the octagon and point to the ground to start swinging hands at the beginning of the fight—a signature move of Holloway's, which 'Blessed' usually does at the end of a fight.

This move became famous after the Hawaiian knocked out Justin Gaethje in the last second of their fight at UFC 300. When asked about Topuria's challenge, Holloway said:

“The belt is called the Blessed Man Forever, or what you guys want to call the Baddest Mother F-er. If the belt was the DMF, the Dumbest Mother F-er, then maybe I would get sucked into [Topuria's mind games]. It's far from that, man. He talks about being a boxer, that's not much boxer IQ of him, but we will see what happens.”

Check out Max Holloway’s comments below: