Ilia Topuria says he cannot pick a winner if Conor McGregor and Max Holloway meet. He told Ariel Helwani that recent results from both fighters make any prediction too uncertain.
Topuria explains why he won’t pick a winner
Topuria spoke on The Ariel Helwani Show and said two recent upsets changed how he views both men. He pointed to Max Holloway’s one-sided loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326. Topuria said that result surprised him and made it hard to judge what Holloway would bring against McGregor.
He also said Conor McGregor is too unpredictable. Topuria mentioned McGregor’s loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 as an example of how McGregor can be beaten in ways people do not expect. Because of that, Topuria said he cannot confidently call a McGregor vs. Holloway fight.
Past fights that matter
Topuria has recent, direct history with Holloway. He knocked out Max Holloway in 2024 during a featherweight title defense before both men moved up to lightweight. That win gives Topuria a personal view of Holloway, but the Oliveira loss still changed his opinion.
Topuria also mentioned McGregor’s long layoff from the Octagon. McGregor would return at UFC 329 on July 11, his first fight since suffering a broken leg in his fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021. Topuria will not offer a prediction for a McGregor vs. Holloway bout while such big variables hang over both fighters.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Max Holloway | Lost by unanimous decision to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 |
| Conor McGregor | Lost by submission to Nate Diaz at UFC 196; returning at UFC 329 on July 11 |
| Ilia Topuria | Knocked out Max Holloway in 2024 during Holloway’s featherweight title defense; preparing to defend lightweight title |
| Charles Oliveira | Beat Max Holloway by unanimous decision at UFC 326 |
| Nate Diaz | Submitted Conor McGregor at UFC 196 |
| Dustin Poirier | Involved in McGregor’s 2021 fight that left McGregor with a broken leg |
| Justin Gaethje | Scheduled to fight Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House event on June 14 |
Upcoming fights and timing
Topuria is not just talking. He will defend his undisputed lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event on June 14. That fight comes before McGregor’s expected return at UFC 329 on July 11.
Topuria’s refusal to pick a winner shows how a few big results can change how fighters are viewed. For now, he says both McGregor and Holloway have shown too much unpredictability after their recent losses.
