Daniel Cormier unsure if Ilia Topuria ‘has as much say’ in first title defense ‘as he thinks he does’ — ‘Max Holloway is the guy’

Ilia Topuria’s first title defense has yet to be decided.

The groundwork has been laid for a match up between the Featherweight champion and current Baddest Motherf—ker (BMF) titleholder, Max Holloway. The Hawaiian’s epic fifth round knockout win over Justin Gaethje (watch highlights) all but secured him with the option to do as he pleases going forward, which he’s made clear to be a shot at 145-pound gold.

However, Topuria has slightly changed his tune since UFC 300 earlier this month (April 13, 2024). With mentions of Brian Ortega and declining an Alexander Volkanovski rematch, according to Joe Rogan, Topuria isn’t starting on the best foot as champion, believes Daniel Cormier.

“Ilia Topuria is the champ, and as the champ, at times, you have some say into who you’re going to fight, when you’re going to fight him, when you’re ready, and all of that,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA Fighting). “I don’t know, though, if he has as much say in this as he thinks he does.

“Max Holloway to me is clearly the guy, [but] if not, [it’s] Alexander Volkanovski. Max told me that,” he continued. “Him and I spoke personally, and he goes, ‘I thought Volk was going to get a rematch. How in the world does he not get a rematch?’ This is coming from the guy that’s waiting for the title fight. But he recognizes, ‘Look, man, this dude beat me three times, long-reigning champion, if anyone deserves an immediate rematch, it’s this guy.’”

Topuria, 27, defeated Volkanovski to become the champion via a second round knockout at UFC 298 this past February 2024 (watch highlights). For Holloway, his title reign at 145 pounds ended at the hands of Volkanovski in December 2019, who defeated him in their following two match ups. “Blessed” has only been bested by Volkanovski at Featherweight since 2013.

As a former two-division champion, Cormier has some advice for “El Matador.”

“I think Ilia Topuria needs to come right out and say, ‘Hey, I want Max Holloway on this date,’” Cormier said. “Then it would be on Max. … Because now, Max is the guy — and sure he has the BMF title — but he wants the Featherweight championship. Ilia has that. When Ilia says, ‘I want this fight on this date,’ Max will have to say, ‘Okay,’ or he will say no and they will move on.

“And then Ilia Topuria, at that point, can then start to go, ‘I don’t want to fight him,” he continued. “He had his chance, he could’ve did it then, he didn’t want to play by the rules.’ He has to make a statement saying, ‘This is what I want as the champ,’ and then put the ball in Max’s court to deny it. But right now, it’s not coming off great, because he’s batting away all of these guys with no clear idea of who else there is.”