Conor McGregor has an altercation with Ilia Topria ahead of their title fight at UFC 308.
Topria will make his first featherweight title defense against Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308 on October 26th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Topria and McGregor’s back-and-forth began after the Irishman visited Marbella, Spain, and claimed he felt more Spanish than the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard.
In response to McGregor’s comments, Topuria compared himself to former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, somewhat loosely.
“Sometimes when I look in the mirror from the waist down, I think I’m more African than Francis Ngannou,” Topuria told Ariel Helwani.
Ilia Topria tells Conor McGregor that he’s more Spanish than he is.
“Sometimes when I look in the mirror from the waist down, I think I look more African than Francis Ngannou.” 😭😭😭😭
#Helwanisho pic.twitter.com/UCWkyVd0Dk
— Championship Round (@ChampRDS)
October 15, 2024
Topria also mocked Holloway, who lost a unanimous decision to McGregor in 2013. In response to Topuria’s comments, “Notorious” stated that Holloway has the recipe to defeat the champion.
UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway takes place Saturday at 2pm ET on ESPN+. Order now!
“Very exciting! The way it’s done. McGregor’s playbook.” McGregor wrote in a since-deleted post on “I’m doing it,” he wrote.
McGregor then viciously attacked Topria, labeling him a “puppy”. McGregor again criticized Topuria’s nationality, stating that his original nickname “El Matador” was invalid as a country of origin.
“He’s got little puppy feet. Check out his little puppy feet. He’s Spanish, right? Does he have a fighting nickname, this guy? I just said to him, ‘ “The Puppy,” McGregor wrote.
“There are no bullfights in Georgia. His previous nickname has been abolished,” the Irishman added. “He’s now ‘The Puppy.'” Nice name, everyone loves puppies. ”
Ilya Topria’s new nickname by Conor McGregor is “Puppy” 😭😭
“He’s got little puppy feet…he’s ‘The Puppy’ now, that’s a good name, everyone loves puppies 🐶”#UFC
#mixed martial arts
pic.twitter.com/QzDfECaAMj
— Championship Round (@ChampRDS)
October 16, 2024
Topria won the belt with a knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February of this year. McGregor, on the other hand, hasn’t fought in over three years since breaking his foot in his third consecutive fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
