Featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria is on course to register his claim as an all-timer. ‘El Matador’ sent the indestructible Max Holloway to the shadow realm, further cementing his status as a top contender and fueling the growing sentiment that he could be the “Next Conor McGregor.” Such comparisons have previously been made by MMA pundits for fighters like Sean O’Malley, but now, the name that stands out is of the Spanish-Georgian.

Before facing Holloway, Topuria had already impressed with a dominant performance against another flyweight legend, Alexander Volkanovski, earlier this year. His recent surge in the promotion has been once again highlighted by UFC fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen, who, in a recent Instagram video, made claims that could be alarming for UFC superstar Conor McGregor.

Is Ilia Topuria the next and better version of Conor McGregor?

Ilia Topuria, with his fighting style and demeanor, has often been compared to Conor McGregor during the latter’s peak UFC era, when simply having McGregor’s name on a fight card could sell out an arena. However, ‘El Matador’ has yet to achieve the level of fame and success that the Irishman reached in his prime. While McGregor’s “Notorious” persona helped him draw massive attention through his brash, often controversial behavior, Spanish-Georgian Ilia Topuria is known for his more confident and pleasant personality, which could appeal to a wider audience.

In a recent Instagram post, Sonnen expressed a similar view, stating, “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.”

It has been four years since Ilia Topuria made his UFC debut, and there are still several more fights to determine how his career progresses. The future of ‘El Matador’s’ “good guy” persona is yet to be fully realized, and whether he will chart a course similar to that of UFC star Conor McGregor, whose career eventually took a downturn, remains uncertain.

However, one thing is certain: Ilia Topuria is the fighter UFC president Dana White believes could embody the same qualities that made McGregor a star, which may be enough to put an end to any lingering debates.

Dana White’s final verdict on Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria, while forging his own path in the fight world without any backing or “godfather,” once drew inspiration from his idol, ‘Mystic Mac’. However, after achieving success, his critics have only fueled his motivation to reach the level of UFC superstar Conor McGregor. This issue came to light during UFC 308’s media day press conference last month, when Max Holloway accused “Spanish-Georgian native of “copycatting” McGregor, bringing the matter into the spotlight.

UFC President Dana White, however, dismissed these allegations and rejected the idea of Topuria copying the Dubliner. In an interview with Mail Sport Boxing, White explained, “I don’t see it. I—I don’t know what Max is talking about; I don’t see it. But, um, you know, Conor’s not a bad guy to copy—he’s done pretty well for himself. But there will never be another Conor. There will be somebody else who will be different.” White further emphasized that while ‘El Matador’ may bring out a version of McGregor in himself, he will never be the next Conor McGregor.

What are your thoughts on Chael Sonnen’s remarks? Do you believe Ilia Topuria has the potential to become a more relatable, positive version of Conor McGregor? Although English isn’t his first or second language, he appears to be gaining confidence in speaking it. Do you think it will take time before we truly see “Spanish-Georgian’s’ full personality, particularly in terms of trash-talking? Share your opinion below.