Ilia Topuria is open to fighting Conor McGregor if offered by the UFC, but he is more excited about a potential match against his old rival Paddy Pimblett, ideally in Spain at the Bernabéu Stadium.
Imagine this: The UFC offers Ilia Topuria a fight with Conor McGregor. Just after Conor vacates the featherweight title. Would Topuria take it? Absolutely.
“I think he’s going to come back,” Topuria muses on the Joe Rogan Experience. “If guys like [Andrei] Arlovski can fight at 40, why not Conor?” A fair point, right?
“We’ve actually talked about it,” Topuria admits. “But you know how the UFC is—hush-hush, keep it under wraps.”
Still, if offered a bout against Conor today? “Why not?” he says. “I wouldn’t say no. It’d be epic.”
“Full fight camp for Conor? Depends who he’s up against,” Topuria chuckles. “Against me? He’d need to be reborn.”
Topuria dreams of an immediate shot at Islam Makhachev and the UFC lightweight title. But lightweight’s a wild card—so many questions, so few answers.
If not Makhachev or a title fight, there’s always Paddy Pimblett. Especially after Pimblett crushed Michael Chandler at UFC 314.
“The Paddy fight excites me more,” Topuria reveals. “Imagine that fight in Spain, at Bernabéu Stadium. Massive!”
Sure, Dana’s not a fan of stadium events, but Bernabéu’s unique. “80,000 people, roof closed… Brits love Spain!”
“A showdown in Spain against that pimple?” Topuria jokes. Now that’s something!