Ilia Topuria gives scoop for September return; ALL roads lead to Spain and Max Holloway

The Alicante-Georgian native prompted a September mark for the Topuria vs. Holloway target date. He’s also willing to push it to the year’s end if Max Holloway is unavailable. UFC’s debut in Spain can happen sometime this year. He wants to rebound well and headline that event.

Consequently, Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) took the honorary kick-off at Real Madrid FC’s game against Sevilla after his title win. Longtime coach Jorge Climent already says Topuria can sell out a PPV event in their home stadium of Santiago Bernabéu. Topuria lived up to his prenomination of going 15-0. Now, he has the daunting task of dealing with the BMF titleholder Max Holloway.

UFC legend stands by Ilia Topuria’s choice to shoot for the BMF

Spaniard Ilia Topuria had preemptively snubbed the likes of Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway from contending for his title if he ever won. Hence, when Holloway won his silver strap, Topuria went into overdrive, feeling like there was unfinished business. He called out Topuria; while negligent at first, Topuria has become deeply invested in the BMF title strap.

Instead of accepting the fight outright, Ilia Topuria wants Holloway’s newly acquired title to be on the line. This has drawn considerable criticism from some fans and pundits. Analysts like Daniel Cormier say that as a newly minted titleholder, he is overestimating his leverage if he snubs Holloway. Chael Sonnen , on the other hand, sees value in it.

Ilia Topuria is 100 percent right! He's right! Topuria is telling Holloway, 'First off, you don't get credit at '45 for something you did at '55.' He's right. Topuria's saying, 'However, absent of you even going to '55 and having that level of success, I do acknowledge that you were the guy down here at '45... But it's the 145-pound division. If you come down, I'll put the belt up, but I've got a little more interest in the guy that won an equally as large of a fight... Chael Sonnen via his Official YouTube Channel (@ChaelSonnenOfficial)

After top brass announced their September return to Paris, Ilia Topuria took to X, stating that UFC Spain has a date. UFC Fight Night, Live From Accor Arena, Paris, happens on September 28, as recently announced. But there’s no official date for Spain.

Many are calling his bluff; Sonnen wholeheartedly supports the driving effort. In a later video, ‘The American Gangster’ stated that he has a date (real or not), and Topuria is influencing everyone’s hands to include him in all equations. This is quite a strategy so far. As such, Sonnen completely stands with Topuria for making an effort and taking risks.