Conor McGregor Responds To Ilia Topuria's Callout After UFC 298 Victory
Highlights
- Topuria aims for McGregor after huge win, McGregor responds confidently.
- Spanish champ wants to take UFC title defense to Spain, calls out McGregor.
- McGregor unlikely to fight Topuria, focused on comeback at higher weight classes.
Following his knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298's main event, crowning him the new featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria had a direct message for Conor McGregor.
The Spaniard's powerful right hand in the second round at Anaheim's Honda Center ended the reign of one of the promotion's most formidable champions. Having floored a significant name in the sport, the 27-year-old now aims to bolster his burgeoning resume by targeting the Irish legend next.
Ilia Topuria Gets A Response From Conor McGregor
‘The Notorious’ Had A Predictable Response To The Georgian-Spanish ‘El Matador’
Topuria wants to take his first UFC title defense to Spain and while a Volkanovski rematch is the obvious choice, ‘El Matador’ wants the biggest fight possible and called out Conor McGregor.
“Dana [White], it's showtime, it’s time to take the UFC to Spain,” Topuria said to Joe Rogan. “And Conor McGregor, if you still have some balls, I will be waiting for you in Spain.” McGregogr responded via Sportscenter Instagram comment writing, "I have huge balls, I've 4 kids."
When asked during the UFC post-fight press conference why he wants to fight McGregor, Topuria responded: “Because Conor represents the last chapter in MMA, I will actually go through the last chapter and leave him behind, forgotten.”
Topuria’s confident prediction about knocking out Volkanovski was reminiscent of McGregor’s prediction that he will knockout the King of Brazil Jose Aldo, who was also a dominant featherweight champion.
Ilia Topuria’s McGregor Call Out Is Nothing More Than A Fantasy Fight
The Odds That The Featherweight Champion Gets His Wish Are Slim To None
McGregor hasn't stepped into the Octagon since fracturing his tibia in a July 2021 bout against Dustin Poirier. His anticipated comeback fight is slated to occur later this year against Michael Chandler, following their roles as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31.
UFC President Dana White recently shared on The Pat McAfee Show that he doesn't foresee McGregor facing Chandler until the fall. White also mentioned that McGregor was never in the mix for UFC 300. However, McGregor has asserted his readiness to return during the summer on International Fight Week, even releasing sparring footage to support his claim.
Beyond his period of inactivity, it's improbable that McGregor will return to the featherweight division, given that he never returned to the weight class in 2015 after capturing the title and now maintains a substantially heavier weight than before.
Getting McGregor at lightweight at this point seems slim as the champion said he is open to fighting him at a higher weight class. Topuria is best served turning his attention to a Max Hollaway fight or a rematch with Volkanovski.
