Ilia Topuria Vows to Submit Islam Makhachev in Front of Khabib Nurmagomedov

Ilia Topuria says he’ll ask Islam Makhachev what his favourite submission is, and submit him with it in front of Khabib 😳

“D’Arce choke? I’m gonna submit you with that… I’ll take him close to Khabib. I will submit him close to Khabib.”

Advertisement

🎥 @PBDsPodcastpic.twitter.com/3PzFSsLtTD

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 11, 2025

Ilia Topuria continues to exude confidence as he prepares to debut in a new division.

Topuria has always been supremely confident and never failed to live up to his words during his rise to UFC featherweight championship. However, “La Leyenda” is now set to face greater challenges after vacating his belt to move up to lightweight — often considered the toughest division in the UFC.

At the top of the lightweight division stands No.1 pound-for-pound fighter Islam Makhachev. While Topuria is rallying for an immediate title shot at lightweight, Makhachev isn’t willing to fight the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard until he has proven himself at 155 pounds. But Topuria is confident that he can dethrone Makhachev right now, and in style.

Topuria claims he can submit the former combat sambo world champ by a move of his own choice. And Topuria also wants to take a dig at Makhachev’s mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov while doing it. The former lightweight champ had a habit of talking to his opponents or Dana White during his dominant title reign. Topuria now wants to talk to “The Eagle” mid-fight while mauling his prodigy Makhachev.

“I would ask him, ‘What’s your favourite submission?’ Whatever, I don’t know, ‘D’Arce choke, I’m gonna submit you with that.’ No problem, I will take him close to Khabib, I will submit him closer to Khabib,” Topuria said on the PBD Podcast. “Khabib used to take people and take them down and talk to Dana [White]. I will do [the same] to Khabib. I will take [Islam down] and talk to Khabib.