"So SELFISH and annoying" - Fans divided as Ilia Topuria comes clean about why he desperately wants to fight Islam Makhachev at 155 pounds

Ilia Topuria recently opened up about a potential Islam Makhachev fight at lightweight and sent fans into a frenzy. The reigning featherweight champion also claimed that he's keen on fighting opponents that fans believe will push him to his limits.

In a recent interview on the FULL SEND PODCAST, Topuria outlined his desire to chase two-division champion status and explained why he wanted to fight Makhachev at lightweight. He said:

"I really believe that I can beat the current champion, Islam. I really think that. He's a great champion... He's a beast but I like the competition. I don't like to be a bully and fight with people that I know 100% that I'm gonna whoop his ass. I like to fight with people that the fans think that it's gonna be very competitive... With Islam, I'm gonna have that."

Catch Ilia Topuria's comments below (17:13):

After @ChampRDS shared the reigning featherweight king's quotes in an X post, fans flocked to the comments section to express their reaction. While some backed Topuria's goals, others weren't so pleased.

One fan wrote:

"This must happen but it's still time. I want Ilia to be so undoubtedly strong that I feel real nervous that Islam might lose. I don't feel it yet."

Another posted:

"Ok, then VACATE the title and move up. This guy is so SELFISH and annoying. So what does he wanna do? Hang on to the belt, move up, and stall the entire division? That way he can still be making PPV points."

Check out some more reactions below:

Screenshots from @ChampRDS on X

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Ilia Topuria reveals potential kryptonite for Dagestan-based fighters like Islam Makhachev

On the same podcast, Topuria outlined a potential pathway to beating Dagestani fighters, especially the ones who train with team Khabib Nurmagomedov. Topuria also questioned their resilience and ability to keep up for five rounds.

Speaking on the FULL SEND PODCAST, the UFC featherweight king claimed that Dagestani fighters look for early domination and fumble when that fails. He stated:

"If you see fighting any of them, the thing that they need when they get into that octagon, in the first contact they want to feel that they dominate you. And they start to build confidence since that... But if they feel in the first contact that it’s very competitive, their head goes down… All the competitive fights, they lose."