Conor McGregor doesn't consider Ilia Topuria a champion

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor didn’t hold back when discussing featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria in a recent live stream.

Topuria won the 145-pound title by knocking out longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February.  He’s expected to face former champion and newly crowned BMF titleholder Max Holloway later this year.  McGregor believes Holloway will defeat Topuria to become a two-time featherweight champion.      

“Holloway, too light, too fast.  I think Holloway picks him apart,” McGregor said in the live stream.  “I think Holloway picks him apart if they fight.  Holloway has done it.  He has that featherweight title.  He’s had it for a long time.  He’s now the BMF.  Topuria, for me, is a non-champion in my opinion.  He might have a strap, but it’s a meaningless strap in my opinion as he holds it.”

McGregor also took issue with Topuria’s comments about wanting to be the highest paid UFC athlete in 2025.  He then compared the featherweight champion to his former friend Artem Lobov.  Lobov and McGregor have been involved in an ongoing lawsuit surrounding McGregor’s ‘Proper 12’ whiskey brand.        

“I don’t get the buzz with him (Topuria).  There is no buzz with him.  He needs to keep fighting.  Topuria needs to keep fighting.  He’s talking,” McGregor said.  “I’ll tell you why I said what I said about him.  Because he’s talking about, he’s going to be the highest paid athlete in 2025. It’s 2024. It’s actually now. The 2025 highest paid athlete list begins right now. The list came out only recent and that means he’s going to have to rake in about $200, $300 million. Don’t be silly, lad.  Don’t be silly.

“It just reminded me of Artem Lobov. Just a stupid, little fool. Talking billions from a f*cking banger of a car. Thinks he knows it all, he’s only a little baldy fool.”