Ilia Topuria is preparing for his featherweight title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 308 while engaging in verbal feuds with Belal Muhammad and Conor McGregor, who criticized his remarks about Holloway’s past loss to McGregor.
Ilia Topuria’s got a big fight coming up, yet he’s still stirring the pot with a few side feuds.
As he gears up for his featherweight title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 308 on Oct. 26, Topuria’s found himself in verbal skirmishes with welterweight champ Belal Muhammad and former two-division champ Conor McGregor.
In a chat with Ariel Helwani, Topuria threw shade at Holloway for losing to McGregor way back in 2013, before either fighter hit their prime. McGregor, never one to stay quiet, fired back on social media. He praised Holloway and warned Topuria about the looming threat of losing his title next Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
“Nah, [Holloway is] the real deal,” McGregor tweeted—then deleted. “Always was, always is… One thousand percent he became way better after losing to me. This fight’s a banger, folks! He even picked up new moves. Became ambidextrous after our bout.”
“He’ll be tough to pin down for the little man. Don’t walk into a crushing blow, bro,” McGregor added. “He’s strong and experienced. Big fight feel here, folks! Oh yes, let’s go!”
Topuria wasn’t having it. While he conceded that Holloway improved post-McGregor, he suggested it was out of shame from losing to someone like McGregor.
“Max definitely got better after fighting you,” Topuria clapped back. “He realized if he wanted to make a living from this, he couldn’t afford to lose to someone like you. Today? He beats you easily.”
“Dustin [Poirier] knocked you out in rematches; Nate [Diaz] beat you twice; Khabib [Nurmagomedov] humiliated you; Floyd [Mayweather Jr.] schooled you in boxing at 50 years old. Sit down, kid. You’re a fake fighter.”
The digital spat continued with more insults flying, though both eventually deleted their fiery exchanges.
With UFC 308 just around the corner, Topuria needs to refocus on his upcoming clash with Holloway—the former UFC featherweight champ and current “BMF” titleholder—in the main event on Oct. 26.