Ilia Topuria Reveals His MMA Mount Rushmore by Snubbing Russian Fighters

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria's Mount Rushmore of MMA fighters avoids Russian and Caucasus region fighters.

Ilia Topuria Reveals His MMA Mount Rushmore by Snubbing Russian Fighters

Ilia Topuria's Mount Rushmore snubs Russian fighters (via The Independent, Britannica)

In Short
  • Ilia Topuria names Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Conor McGregor, and Anderson Silva as his MMA Mount Rushmore.
  • Topuria's selection notably excludes Russian fighters, including Khabib Nurmagomedov.
  • He expresses interest in boxing, calling out Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson for potential superfights.

Ilia Topuria has quickly become one of the UFC’s biggest stars due to his knockout power and confidence. Topuria has produced highlight finishes that raised his profile across divisions. He is set to defend his title against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. He has also remained active in interviews and media appearances. During one such interview, the Spaniard recently revealed his MMA Mount Rushmore.

Topuria recently appeared on the DeepCut with VicBlends podcast, where he covered multiple topics from his life and MMA career. Topuria spoke about his early life, motivations to fight, and the mindset behind his rise. He also discussed his upcoming title defense and its importance for his career. He revealed his MMA Mount Rushmore, naming Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Conor McGregor, and Anderson Silva.

What stands out in his Mount Rushmore selection is the absence of Russian fighters from the list. Topuria did not include Russian despite their strong MMA presence. One of the most common picks in fighter debates is Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated at 29-0 with dominant wins over elite opponents. He was not included in Topuria’s selection, making the list different from many others.

Topuria has had tensions with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team, especially UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. The Georgian Spanish star has taken shots at Makhachev while calling for a potential superfight. Their rivalry was also in full flow over a potentially failed superfight at the White House event. Topuria has also criticized the Dagestani wrestling style as less entertaining than striking-based MMA.

Another surprising inclusion on his list was Conor McGregor, despite their public rivalry in recent years. Topuria has exchanged verbal jabs with the Irishman over social media. Many MMA observers have compared Topuria’s rise to McGregor’s UFC surge, citing knockout momentum and fast title progression. This adds context to The Notorious One’s inclusion despite ongoing tension between them.

Russian and Dagestani fighters have become a dominant force in modern MMA over the past decade, reshaping elite competition across divisions. Khabib Nurmagomedov helped lead that rise and influenced a broader wave of fighters, creating a lasting cultural impact within the sport. Against that backdrop, Ilia Topuria’s Mount Rushmore choices lean more toward global UFC icons.

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Ilia Topuria once again takes shots at undefeated boxing star

Ilia Topuria is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous boxers in the UFC today. Topuria has built his reputation on elite striking and knockout power inside the octagon. The Spaniard has also expressed interest in professional boxing and a potential crossover move. He has called out Terence Crawford for a superfight and traded verbal exchanges with the Nebraska native in media appearances.

Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria (via MMA Mania)

One of the main fighters to challenge Topuria’s ambitions of facing Crawford was undefeated boxing star Shakur Stevenson. The 28-year-old has been vocal in dismissing crossover talk, questioning MMA fighters stepping into elite boxing matchups. In response, Topuria has also discussed his own boxing ambitions, expressing interest in facing Stevenson in what he views as a stylistically favorable matchup.

Honestly, I really feel that I can go to boxing and face the best fighters in the world currently. It’s not a dream, but if it happens I will be happy. Specifically, if it’s against someone like Shakur Stevenson, someone like him who talks too much, it would be great.

Ilia Topuria via DeepCut with VicBlends

Ilia Topuria’s rivalry with Ryan Garcia has become a notable crossover tension in combat sports. The UFC lightweight champion has exchanged verbal shots with Garcia over a potential boxing clash. Both have questioned each other’s skill level across MMA and boxing and taken personal jabs at each other. The rivalry has drawn increased attention to the Georgian-Spanish champion’s boxing ambitions.

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