The difference between you and me is that I
am a man and you are a coward. I speak and fight. you talk and
hide. Run away far, leaving no trace. Ты маленький пацан. https://t.co/kDuhhdIB8t— Ilia
Topuria (@Topuriailia)
May 15, 2025
Things continue to heat up between Islam
Makhachev and Ilia
Topuria.
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Topuria (16-0) recently vacated his featherweight title and moved
up to lightweight, rallying for an immediate title fight against
Makhachev. Makhachev (27-1) was unwilling to fight Topuria until he
proved himself at 155 pounds. Meanwhile, Makhachev was
contemplating a move up to welterweight depending on Belal
Muhammad’s
UFC 315 title fight against Jack
Della Maddalena. Maddalena dethroned Muhammad, a friend of
Makhachev, clearing the way for the Dagestani to move up.
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White subsequently
confirmed that Makhachev will fight Maddalena next, while Topuria
challenges Charles
Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317
on June 28. Topuria has since taken multiple digs at Makhachev,
calling him a coward for moving up. Makhachev recently responded,
pointing out differences between his lightweight title reign and
Topuria’s featherweight stint. Makhachev’s lengthy portfolio,
followed by four title defenses, saw him wipe out almost the entire
division. Meanwhile, Topuria won the title against Alexander
Volkanovski and only defended it against Max
Holloway before moving up.
“Difference between me and you, that I cleaned top list in my
division, moved to next, but you ran away from two contenders who
had consecutive 5-9 wins in FW division,” Makhachev wrote on
Twitter. “You are nobody in LW division, just a big mouth from
Spain with nice haircut. Go get one W, and we can talk boy.”
Topuria responded by accusing Makhachev of ducking him.
“The difference between you and me is that I am a man and you are a
coward. I speak and fight. you talk and hide. Run away far, leaving
no trace.”