Ilia Topuria is now not interested by a combat with Conor McGregor.
Even earlier than his second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski in February to say the UFC featherweight title, ‘El Matador’ referred to as for a conflict with the previous two-division champion. Weeks away from his first protection of the 145-pound crown in Abu Dhabi, Topuria says he’s now now not .
“I wouldn’t wish to combat [Conor] McGregor,” Topuria advised Ibai when requested a few potential showdown with the Irish megastar. “I imply, McGregor could be an choice if I may combat him. However proper now, I’m telling you that in the event that they supplied me a combat with him, I’d say, ‘No’, as a result of there are greater fights than him.”
Topuria elaborated on his reasoning, suggesting that McGregor is now not the person he as soon as was and has “betrayed the values” that helped him rise to prominence on the earth of blended martial arts.
“I do know he isn’t what he was,” Topuria added. “He’s not the McGregor who moved the plenty. I’ve been impressed by Conor, I admired him once I was little. And he has misplaced it as a result of he has betrayed the values which have introduced him [to the top]. We have now misplaced an idol.”
Ilia Topuria Says he’s on ‘one other stage’ than conor McGregor
Not lengthy after Topuria’s win over ‘The Nice’ at UFC 298, McGregor made some disparaging remarks about ‘El Matador’ throughout a live-streamed Q&A through Duelbits.
“I don’t give a f*ck about him both. He jogs my memory of slightly retarded Artem Lobov, Topuria does. Two little retards,” McGregor stated earlier than including, “Topuria, for me, is a non-champion for my part. He might need a strap, however it’s a meaningless strap, for my part, as he holds it. I don’t see any attraction to it.”
Regardless of the disrespectful feedback, Topuria is aware of deep down McGregor respects him as a fighter, whether or not he’ll admit it or not.
“So, the statements he has made about me, does he respect me as a fighter? — 100% he respects me as a fighter, and he is aware of that I’m on one other stage in comparison with him. However he won’t ever wish to acknowledge it and say it publically, as a result of he’s not that sort of individual” (h/t Bloody Elbow).
