![Ilia Topuria promises to submit Islam Makhachev with submission of choice in front of Khabib Nurmagomedov [Image courtesy: Getty Images and PBD Podcast on YouTube]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/964d9-17443949434899-1920.jpg)
![Ilia Topuria promises to submit Islam Makhachev with submission of choice in front of Khabib Nurmagomedov [Image courtesy: Getty Images and PBD Podcast on YouTube]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAJGzF//EACIQAAEEAQIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQRBTGBAAYUFSFBUf/aAAgBAQABPwCLj5PTR5idvByc0BvOtR1A6KxUddKAN73hct4xqGw2UvLIQAIqjb9Cnj0nzj//xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAIAQIBAT8AhH//xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAH/2gAIAQMBAT8Aa2//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ilia Topuria recently added more fuel to the fire in his ongoing feud with Islam Makhachev as he promised to embarrass him in front of Khabib Nurmagomedov. He noted that he would even take a page out of Nurmagomedov to showcase his dominance.
Topuria and Makhachev have been linked to a potential bout since last year and speculation of it materializing ramped up after the 28-year-old vacated his featherweight championship. They have been involved in several back-and-forth exchanges on social media and have not shied away from sharing their opinions of one another in interviews.
During his latest appearance on PBD Podcast, Topura added that he would even ask the Dagestani his preferred submission and mentioned that he would ensure he does so while speaking with Nurmagomedov:
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"Me, personally, I would ask him, 'What's your favorite submission?... D'Arce choke? I'm gonna submit you with that'... I take him close to Khabib. I will submit him closer to Khabib... Khabib used to take people on his shoulders, take them down and talk to Dana. I will take [Makhachev] and talk to Khabib, 'Khabib, I have to do it'.
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Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (54:44):
Ilia Topuria wants to prove his ground game against Islam Makhachev
During the aforementioned appearance, Ilia Topuria expressed his desire to prove that he can submit Islam Makhachev.
Topuria mentioned that even though he has highlight-reel knockouts on his resume, his background is in wrestling. He mentioned that there would be added motivation for him if he were challenged with submitting Makhachev with the submission of his choice:
"I think D'Arce or guillotine is [Makhachev's] favorite... I'll go for that no problem. It's going to be even more entertaining for me... The people don't realize that my background comes from wrestling, from the ground game. Actually, I grew up with wrestling and with BJJ and I developed my skills when I was 20 years old in boxing game, but my best skills are on the ground." [56:16]
Check out Ilia Topuria's post-fight interview following his latest win below:
