Undefeated in the UFC so far, Ilia Topuria is aiming to take his ‘legend’ even further! After a historic knockout over Max Holloway at UFC 308, the Spanish-Georgian mixed martial artist has set his sight on Islam Makhachev’s crown. But is the next step too far?
While the buzz surrounding the clash between ‘La Leyenda’ and the Dagestani champion has dominated the MMA sphere, not everyone is buying into the hype. The undefeated record? Impressive. The knockout power? Undeniable. Yet questions remain. Can Topuria carry that success into the shark tank that is the UFC’s lightweight division? And that’s where Mateusz Gamrot enters the scene.
Ilia Topuria’s lofty lightweight ambitions receive a brutal reality check from Mateusz Gamrot
Currently ranked No. 7 in lightweight, the Polish powerhouse didn’t mince words. In a snippet of a recent interview with MMA Junkie shared on Instagram by ‘Red Corner MMA’, Gamrot stated, “Topuria is small guy. Islam is really big guy, and I don’t think that Topuria has chance against him, you know. Like, if you wanna fight with Islam, you have to be, like, big guy, like, similar like him because he’s good everywhere.”
But is it true? Gamrot’s warning taps into a long-standing belief in combat sports that size matters. Islam Makhachev is a thick, smothering grappler with striking to match. A quick look at the stats shows that the Dagestani champion stands at 5’10 with a 70.5 inch reach. In comparison, Topuria is 5’10 with a 69-inch reach.
In fact, Alexander Volkanovski, despite being the smaller man compared to Islam Makhachev, nearly shocked the world at UFC 284. He didn’t overpower Makhachev; he outmaneuvered him. It was a chess match, and for a moment, just a moment, the Dagestani seemed mortal.
But their second fight at UFC 294? That ended with a brutal headkick that sent the Aussie to the shadow realm and adds more weight to Mateusz Gamrot’s warning.
As such, ‘Gamer’ continued stating, “But if your body is smaller than him, so you don’t have chance for sure.” So what does that say about Ilia Topuria? After all, he didn’t just beat Volkanovski, he dismantled him with surgical precision at UFC 298. And despite the warnings, Topuria is adamant about stepping into the Octagon against Makhachev.
During a recent appearance on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) MMA Show no. 166, Topuria stated, “I would like to fight with Islam, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t fight for a number 1 contender fight.”
Mateusz Gamrot’s critique might sting, but it echoes a larger sentiment within the lightweight division. Even Khabib Nurmagomedov, the architect behind Makhachev’s rise, recently questioned whether ‘La Leyenda’ has earned his shot. Without a proven win at 155, Topuria’s featherweight dominance may not be enough to survive in a division teeming with killers like Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, and ‘Gamer’.
Where does that leave the undefeated star? According to ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’, the path forward at lightweight for Ilia Topuria doesn’t start with a title shot!
Kamaru Usman lays out the path for ‘La Leyenda’ to cement his claim for the title shot against Islam Makhachev
Ilia Topuria may have the swagger of a champion and the record to back it up, but not everyone’s rolling out the red carpet to the lightweight throne. In fact, former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman believes ‘La Leyenda’ needs a real test before even dreaming of Islam Makhachev. And what kind of test?
Speaking on an episode of the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast, Usman confessed, “Ilia Topuria, Mateusz Gamrot. The one thing we really don’t see often is Ilia Topuria on his back, now give him a relentless wrestler who is very successful in that lightweight division.”
Usman didn’t stop there. He praised Gamrot’s relentless wrestling style, the kind that drags opponents into deep waters and dares them to breathe. Gamrot may not be everyone’s favorite due to his grinding style, but in Usman’s eyes? “This guy can make a run at that title. You saw his fight vs. Arman, that was back-and-forth.”
But the former welterweight champion didn’t stop at Topuria. He laid out his own lightweight tournament bracket. Makhachev vs. Justin Gaethje. Tsarukyan vs. Oliveira. And one final fairytale—Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier III, a proper retirement banger. As such, if Usman had his way, the unbeaten ‘La Leyenda’ would find himself in the cage with ‘Gamer’.
In conclusion, if Ilia Topuria truly wants to wear the crown at 155, he’ll need more than knockout power; he’ll need to pass the Gamrot test, according to Kamaru Usman. So, is Topuria ready for war with the Dagestani king? Or will the path to greatness demand a little more grind first? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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