“You guys know the guy he’s copycatting. This guy is a copycat down to his tattoos, to his aura, to the way he’s approaching fights. The guy is a copycat.” This was the allegation made by former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway against reigning champion Ilia Topuria, accusing him of mimicking UFC megastar Conor McGregor. But why? From ‘El Matador’s back and chest tattoos to his overall aura, fans have drawn striking comparisons to ‘The Notorious’. Even at press conferences, wherer the Irishman was once known for his sharp suits and charismatic presence, the Georgian-Spanish now appears to be stepping into that role.

Once an open admirer of Conor McGregor, Ilia Topuria no longer shares good terms with the Irishman. In fact, McGregor has taken jabs at ‘El Matador’ in the past, and their tensions remain unresolved. Recently, UFC CEO Dana White announced on Instagram Live that “Topuria’s body cannot make the weight anymore,” confirming that the featherweight champion had outgrown the division. With ‘El Matador’ already having cemented his legacy at 145 lbs, White finally approved his long-standing request to move up.

However, this move has only intensified comparisons to Conor McGregor. In 2015, the Irishman famously moved to the lightweight division without defending his featherweight belt, making history as a two-division champion. Now, with he Georgian-Spanish following the same path, many—including McGregor himself—see it as an imitation. ‘

‘The Notorious’ even reacted to The Mac Life‘s post on X, which read, “Ilia Topuria vacates UFC featherweight title,” with a simple “😂” emoji—a now-deleted comment that added even more fuel to the fire.

The Georgian export’s UFC journey began in 2020, after making a name for himself in the regional circuits. His ultimate goal has always been to become a two-division champion, much like the Irishman. Consequently, ‘El Matador’s rapid rise in the featherweight division has led many to draw comparisons to McGregor’s trajectory, especially considering Ilia Topuria fought on the undercard of Conor McGregor‘s final UFC fight at UFC 264, around four years ago.

Now, with his sudden move to the lightweight division after defending his featherweight title just once, there’s growing talk of Ilia Topuria potentially surpassing Conor McGregor’s legacy within the promotion. Whether this will happen remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it is clear that Topuria’s actions are reshaping the conversation around his place in UFC history. Will he truly outshine ‘Mystic Mac’s impact? Let’s hear it from the UFC veteran himself.

Chael Sonnen Weighs In on Ilia Topuria Surpassing “Polarizing” Conor McGregor

“Who’s the next Conor McGregor?” a question has been echoing in the MMA world for over four years, ever since McGregor’s last octagon appearance. Names like Paddy Pimblett and Sean O’Malley have been floated, but one fighter who continues to stand out is Ilia Topuria. Having fought on the undercard of UFC 264 during McGregor’s high-profile showdown against Dustin Poirier, ‘El Matador’ has made an impressive rise. In less than four years, he went from an up-and-coming talent to UFC Featherweight Champion, defended his title once, and is now vacating the belt in preparation for a move to the lightweight division.

Despite his rapid rise, Chael Sonnen views Ilia Topuria as a more amiable, friendly figure in contrast to Conor McGregor’s polarizing persona. The Irishman’s brash and controversial presence, and his social media feuds with almost everyone, including fellow countrymen like Paul Hughes, are well-known; in contrast, Topuria, representing Georgia and Spain, embodies a more approachable, “good guy” image.

In a post last year on Instagram, Chael Sonnen shared his take on the Georgian-Spanish’s potential. He stated, “Conor attracts people because of his walk and swagger, but Ilia has that badass nature and also the good guy route. This guy is a rocket ship because your mom could like him, your girlfriend could like him, and your friends can like him. Whereas Conor McGregor is way more polarizing.”

What’s your opinion on Ilia Topuria‘s recent shift to the lightweight division? Do you think Topuria is simply trying to be the next Conor McGregor, a “wanna-be,” or do you believe he will carve out his own legacy in the sport?