“He won’t even touch my legs—because the moment he does, he’ll be begging me to send him back to Russia,” Ilia Topuria declared on Spain’s El Hormiguero. Since vacating his UFC featherweight crown, ‘El Matador’ has relentlessly called out Team Khabib, demanding a showdown with lightweight king Islam Makhachev. In response, the Dagestani camp fired back, warning that if Topuria truly wants Makhachev, he must first prove himself against a top-tier lightweight.

Unfazed and furious, Topuria has kept the pressure on—his verbal war against Makhachev intensifying even after the champ’s title bout with Charles Oliveira was announced. Now, in the midst of the storm, Team Khabib’s head coach has stepped in, drawing a clear red line for the Spanish sensation.

During a conversation on the Javier & Mo Show YouTube channel, Javier Mendez explained that, just like Charles Oliveira, Ilia Topuria is one of the fighters he likes. However, he doesn’t like the way Topuria uses his words to promote his fights. “Ilia, I’m a fan of his in the way he handles himself—what he says. I’m not too fond of some of the words he’s mentioned as of lately, but before that, he’s been nothing but perfect in his words, you know, vocabulary, and what he says. But a few things he might have said, maybe crossed the line,” said Javier Mendez.

He further added, “Other than that—do you remember something? Yeah, I don’t want to talk about what he said, but he said a few things that maybe, maybe he should have held back, you know? Because—respect. Talk to the fighter, this and that. But, you know, certain fighters—they should have that code, that ‘I’m going to fight you,’ so this and that…But, you know, I don’t like when some things come out.”

Ilia Topuria hasn’t attacked Islam Makhachev’s religion or country like Conor McGregor did against Khabib Nurmagomedov, but his constant threats of avoiding a fight are taking a toll on Team Khabib. Although Islam Makhachev has relinquished his lightweight title to pursue the welterweight championship against Jack Della Maddalena, Topuria’s persistent threats to fight him have not simmered down. In fact, Topuria c.

Is it feasible for Ilia Topuria to fight in the welterweight division? Certainly not, due to his size. However, he has been very vocal about wanting to take down Islam Makhachev. Before that, though, he will have to deal with Charles Oliveira. Interestingly, Makhachev’s former opponent Renato Moicano believes that Ilia Topuria might give the soon-to-be-former lightweight champion a hard time.

“I think he’s the real deal,” said Renato Moicano on Ilia Topuria

With an undefeated record, Ilia Topuria has proven his mettle in the featherweight division, and now the lightweight division is his to conquer. His upcoming battle against Charles Oliveira for the lightweight belt will determine his future. Well, when asked about Renato Moicano’s opinion on the outspoken Ilia Topuria, the former UFC lightweight title challenger ascertained that ‘El Matador’ might give a big challenge to Islam Makahchev.

“I would like to watch Islam and Topuria, and I think right now, Ilia Topuria would beat Islam Makhachev. I think so…we know it’s very hard to knock Volkanovski out, you know? How good Volkanovski showed up on his last performance against a very dangerous guy…and Max Holloway. Max Holloway just went to the lightweight division at the beginning of last year, knocked out one of the most dangerous guys in the division, and then got back to 45 and got knocked out by Topuria,” said Moicano in his conversation with Ariel Helwani.

He further added, “So that shows, Topuria is, I think, he’s the real deal. And I think with his grappling, and like the way he moves his head and his boxing, I think he would impose a lot of trouble on Islam Makhachev. But now it’s just speculation. We’re not gonna see that fight anytime soon, let’s see what Charles and Topuria are gonna do.”

If Ilia Topuria wins his lightweight title bout against Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev wins his welterweight title fight against Jack Della Maddalena, then we could potentially see a matchup between them. However, for now, nothing is certain. What are your thoughts on this potential rivalry? Share your opinion in the comments below!