Ilia Topuria Gives Fans a Reality Check About Conor McGregor’s return

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria reveals why Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon won't be the same as before.

Ilia Topuria Gives Fans a Reality Check About Conor McGregor’s return

Ilia Topuria talks about Conor McGregor's future (via MMA Mania, The Irish Sun)

In Short
  • Ilia Topuria believes Conor McGregor is nearing the end of his career but acknowledges the potential for a comeback if he wins his next fight.
  • Topuria's rise in the UFC has drawn comparisons to McGregor, including lifestyle elements and ambitions to surpass his records.
  • McGregor's return to the Octagon remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions about a potential fight during International Fight Week at UFC 329.

Ilia Topuria is widely regarded as one of the most charismatic and dangerous fighters on the current UFC roster, combining elite skill with a growing global profile. Those same labels were once closely associated with Conor McGregor during his dominant rise in the promotion. As speculation surrounding the Irishman’s return to the UFC has intensified, Topuria recently offered his assessment of the situation.

For the unversed, the Irishman last competed in the UFC in 2021, suffering a doctor-stoppage loss after breaking his ankle in the trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He remained sidelined before returning as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 31 opposite Michael Chandler.

The two were scheduled to fight at UFC 303 after the show. However, a toe injury forced McGregor to withdraw at the last minute, delaying his comeback again. Since then, the Irish fighter has repeatedly teased a return to the Octagon in recent years.

However, none of those plans have materialized into an official fight announcement. UFC CEO Dana White recently confirmed during the UFC Winnipeg conference that McGregor is in positive talks with the promotion regarding his return. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Topuria recently shared his assessment of McGregor’s current sporting position.

Sports-wise, we know he’s almost finished, if he gets a win, a great comeback. He wins his next fight, and I get offered that fight, we’ll see. I never close the doors for those kind of opportunities… even if we are not on the same level right now, sports-wise, we all know that he’s almost finished.

Ilia Topuria via The Ariel Helwani Show

Many have noted that Topuria’s rise from a striking specialist to a two-division champion with confidence mirrors a path once taken by McGregor. Observers have often pointed to similarities in their personas and rapid ascent. The Georgian-Spanish champion has also faced accusations of copying the Irishman’s style. Comparisons have been drawn to lifestyle elements, including private jet travel and similar tattoos.

McGregor has also been at odds with Topuria, who has repeatedly stated his ambition to surpass records previously set by the Irishman. The lightweight champion has pointed to McGregor’s legal troubles as a factor that could shift the spotlight, believing it creates an opening for him to emerge as the face of the UFC. Despite those claims, the Irishman has largely refrained from engaging with Topuria’s remarks.

Conor McGregor was previously speculated to return at the UFC White House event, but those plans ultimately did not materialize. Attention has now shifted toward a possible comeback during International Fight Week at UFC 329. The situation remains fluid as talks with the promotion continue to progress. Meanwhile, Topuria is preparing for his upcoming 155lbs title unification against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom Fights 250.

Ilia Topuria’s unique training camp for upcoming title defense

Ilia Topuria is widely regarded as one of the most complete fighters on the current UFC roster, combining dangerous knockout power with strong Greco-Roman wrestling. His ability to transition between striking and grappling makes him a threat in every fight. Having trained in combat sports from a young age, Topuria has steadily refined his skill set. As a result, ‘El Matador’ holds an undefeated record of 17-0.

Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria (via X)

Ahead of his upcoming title defense against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom Fights 250, Topuria has returned to training after months of inactivity linked to legal troubles. He has resumed preparation for his next challenge. In a recent session, he was seen holding a string and focusing on objects along its center. He was also reading numbers from one to fifty to improve accommodation and cognitive focus.

Glasses let us see how the left eye and the right eye work, and most of all, see how both work in sync. What we are doing is a cognitive exercise in which he has to select the numbers from 1 to 50 while also working on accommodation and binocular vision.

Ilia Topuria’s coach via YouTube

The Georgian-Spanish champion’s training regimen reflects a serious and methodical approach to preparation at the highest level. He has previously emphasized his preference for training each mixed martial arts discipline separately rather than as a whole, allowing him to refine every aspect of his skill set in detail. This structured philosophy has played a key role in his development as a complete fighter.

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