Movsar Evloev comes clear on Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev matchup as UFC 317 talks swirl



No. 4-ranked UFC featherweight Movsar Evloev got candid on what he thought of former UFC featherweight champ Ilia Topuria's campaign to win the lightweight throne. After his title defense against Max Holloway back in October 2024, 'El Matador' willingly relinquished his 145-pound title with the hopes of moving up to 155 pounds and taking the title from dominant champ Islam Makhachev.

In an interview with @sport24_u, a Russian news outlet on X, Evloev was asked if he thinks less of Topuria if he loses his title bid against Makhachev. Evloev said: "Well, if he [Topuria] loses to Islam [Makhachev], it won't take anything away from him. Because Islam is just on another level. Islam is bigger. Islam is the champion at a higher weight class. And Islam is also the P4P number one. So there's no shame in losing to Islam. It would be very silly to write him [Topuria] off just because he lost to Islam."
When the reporter asked Movsar Evloev if something personal was going on between him and Topuria, with both having a verbal altercation in the past, the Russian fighter said: "He said some things he should not have said. But I think he said that not because he's got any animosity towards me or to prove something. I think that's just because he's not really smart." Listen to Movsar Evloev here:

 

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