Ilia Topuria accuses Charles Oliveira of running from fight with him: 'I'd be scared, too'
03/27/2025 06:20 PM
Surging featherweight star, Ilia Topuria has admitted he is only interested in either a fight with champion, Islam Makhachev or former titleholder, Charles Oliveira in his anticipated lightweight bow — however, insists the Brazilian is “scared” to share the Octagon with him.
Topuria, the current featherweight champion, is set to relinquish his belt as soon as the UFC 314 headliner begins next month in Miami. And seeing former foe, Alexander Volkanovski take on the surging fan-favorite, Diego Lopes for the vacant crown in ‘The Sunshine State’, Topuria has sights fixed on a lightweight leap.
However, yet to book his sophomore outing at the weight class, Spanish finisher, Topuria has been heavily linked with a title fight from the get-go at lightweight against current champion, Makhachev.
Ilia Topuria claims Charles Oliveira is “scared” of facing off with him
Furthermore, he has this week admitted he would be open to a definitive title eliminator with Brazilian finisher, Oliveira, but believes the former is fearful of facing him.
QAll my training is focused on Islam (Makhachev) or Charles (Oliveira), because I don’t see any other opponents,” Ilia Topuria told Alvaro Colmenero. “Neither of them seems to dare [to fight me]… These are the symptoms of fear, we all know that, but it’s normal. I’d be scared too.”
However, at the beginning of this week to boot, Oliveira shared his thoughts on Topuria imminent move up a division, claiming he “crap” talking his way into title contention rather than earning his shot.
"He (Ilia Topuria) was the champion of the underweight category so he is moving up to the category trying to bring this hype, wanting to do something big," Charles Oliveira told Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned. "I know the firepower I have in my hands, I know how much I have prepared but I'm not focused on him but on the belt, I'm looking for a title.
"…I think he's just trying to dig out a fight," Charles Oliveira continued. "He's saying a lot of crap and it's just I really respect his fights, the way he's come up and everything, but he's being (3:50) very disrespectful now and he's saying a lot of things that he shouldn't."
