Ilia Topuria has expressed his openness to a future fight with Conor McGregor, but he doesn’t view it as a clash between two active competitors at their peak. Topuria revealed that the UFC has already broached the subject of a bout with McGregor and that he would accept the fight if it were offered to him today.
However, the Spanish-Georgian fighter offered a candid assessment of McGregor’s current standing. Topuria stated that while a win for McGregor and a successful comeback could alter the narrative, in terms of athletic performance, he is “almost finished.”
Ilia Topuria’s Perspective on Conor McGregor
In a recent interview, Ilia Topuria elaborated on his thoughts regarding a potential fight with Conor McGregor. He said:
“If I get offered that fight, then we’ll see. If he gets a win, a comeback, he wins his next fight, and I get offered that fight, we will see. But I never close the door for those kinds of opportunities even if we are not on the same level right now. Maybe on the popularity level, he’s more popular, and people know him, sports-wise, we all know that he’s almost done.”
Topuria’s position comes at a significant juncture in his career. He has moved past discussions of moving down in weight and has already claimed the UFC lightweight championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira. His next challenge is already scheduled: a title unification bout against interim champion Justin Gaethje on June 14th, headlining a historic UFC event in Washington D.C.
Conor McGregor, on the other hand, has been absent from the octagon since his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier, a fight that ended with McGregor suffering a severe leg injury. His planned return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024 was subsequently canceled due to a broken toe sustained in training, further prolonging the uncertainty surrounding his comeback. This prolonged inactivity is a key factor in Topuria’s frank assessment of McGregor’s status as a competitive fighter.
Topuria has voiced skepticism about McGregor’s readiness for some time. In a previous discussion, he questioned whether McGregor’s lifestyle and extended layoff were compatible with the demands of elite mixed martial arts. While acknowledging McGregor’s popularity and the potential drawing power of such a fight, Topuria maintains that from a sporting perspective, McGregor’s competitive days are largely behind him. Nevertheless, Topuria has not entirely dismissed the possibility of the fight. His stance is clear: if McGregor secures a victory, regains momentum, and the UFC presents the offer, he is willing to consider it.
With the lightweight title secured and a high-profile defense against Justin Gaethje on the horizon, a fight with McGregor is no longer a sporting necessity for Topuria’s career progression. Should such a bout ever materialize, it would be driven by its magnitude and public interest, rather than by Topuria’s need for the matchup.