“Bro, I’m never looking for a problem, but if the problem comes to me, I say no f*** problem.” Ilia Topuria casually dropped a cold quote on the FullSend podcast, perfectly showing off his elite mindset. The Spanish-Georgian star is full of self-belief, and honestly, why wouldn’t he be? His performances inside the Octagon have backed up every word he has said. The Spanish Georgian holds bragging rights over two UFC greats, with knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Those wins didn’t come without any question marks.

For years, Volkanovski and Holloway were an unsolved puzzle in the featherweight division. Even though ‘The Great’ beat ‘Blessed’ three times, both fighters dominated the division like few others. From 2016 to 2024, they took turns holding the belt, making life miserable for every other featherweight contender. But then came Ilia Topuria, the only man who figured them out. When asked to compare these two legends, ‘La Leyenda’ gave his take on what made each challenge unique.

In the PBD podcast, Topuria revealed, “I don’t know what was the difference. I felt both of them like the same way. Fast, very calculated. They are smart people inside the octagon. They have that fight IQ. Normally, I used to go inside the octagon and I feel I’m the smartest guy. But, with them. I felt like they were smart also. Because, you can be very powerful, very fast, if you don’t have that mentality, if you don’t have that fight IQ, to use the technique at the right time, and they were doing that. They knew how to take away the patience from you, and make you play their game.”

Ilia Topuria was spot on when he spoke about fight IQ. Both Volkanovski and Holloway are known for their elite fight intelligence; only Jon Jones can be considered a worthy rival of theirs. The first Georgian fighter to win a UFC championship, he actually lost the first round to Volkanovski, and Max Holloway, too, was also finding his rhythm before Topuria landed that game-changing shot. So, the Greats were definitely a tough competition for the 28-year-old juggernaut.

The soon-to-be former featherweight champion is just a day away from losing his crown. When the bell rings inside the Kaseya Center, a new king will rise, and his legacy will hit pause. Despite all the buzz, Ilia Topuria’s next moves – especially a potential lightweight challenge – remains a mystery. However, Topuria revealed a possible date for his comeback.

Ilia Topuria is eyeing his return soon

As fans, we’re not the only ones just guessing anymore. Ilia Topuria hasn’t confirmed a return date, and his list of potential opponents keeps changing. So far, no matchup has been finalized. A clear plan would allow the Spanish-Georgian star to dive back into full training with focus and purpose.

The lightweight division offers no easy fights. Every contender brings serious skill and toughness. Topuria understands the challenge and refuses to rush. He plans to train hard and return when he’s fully ready. While he hasn’t shared an exact date, he has mentioned a rough timeline for his comeback. He believes September will be a good date for his highly anticipated return.

Topuria while continuing his conversation in the PBD podcast said, “Personally, I don’t know . I hope in summer, maybe in September. I don’t know if they will call you, they tell you like, ‘I need you in this day, in this place’. What they do always with the champions is that they give you at least 12 weeks of preparation.”

Who do you think has Ilia Topuria’s toughest fight been so far? Please comment below.