UFC’s featherweight division has always been home to gargantuan icons. But whose star shines the brightest at 145lbs? This is the question every MMA fan is asking at the moment. Ilia Topuria and his history-making annihilation of Max Holloway at UFC 308 skyrocketed his stock in the promotion with many speculating him to be an all-timer at just 27 years of age. But who can forget the dominance of Conor McGregor?

The Dubliner recently reposted a tweet on his timeline, which was shared by Dillon Danis who labeled him as the best featherweight of all time. But is Conor McGregor the greatest featherweight ever? Former UFC champion Michael Bisping recently shared his opinion on the whole. Let us take a look at what he had to say about it.

Michael Bisping doesn’t quite feel that Conor McGregor is the greatest ever at 145lbs

There are very few fighters in the UFC who have had a rise like Conor McGregor. The Dubliner is a former dual champion and one of the finest strikers in company history. His recent spell of inactivity and a string of losses have kept him off the charts. However, one can never forget the way he won the featherweight belt after knocking out Jose Aldo in thirteen seconds back in 2015.

But does that make him the greatest featherweight fighter? Well, Michael Bisping doesn’t quite agree with it. ‘The Count’ took to his Podcast on his YouTube channel to discuss the entire matter. According to the former champion, there’s no doubt that McGregor is one of the legends of the sport, and his rise is second to none. However, he has his reasons for believing that ‘Mystic Mac’ does not fall in the category of the greatest 145fer ever.

During his podcast, he said, “He never defended the belt. That is one thing that kind of, you know, that’s a takeaway. Now, of course, we are in the Ilia Topuria era. You know Conor’s doing his thing. He’s keeping himself relevant. He’s calling out Ilia Topuria and all the rest of it. So fair play but McGregor is one of the greatest fighters that lived. Simple as that. Smashed down barriers brought in so many new fans. Showed what’s capable through a career in mixed martial arts. But I don’t think he is the greatest featherweight that ever lived.”

During his absence from the Octagon, Ilia Topuria has impressed everyone with his record-breaking outings. Not only does he have the skill set, but he also has the flair to back it up. The champion has recently been involved in a lot of social media brawls with McGregor and has even shown interest in fighting him. However, Michael Bisping feels ‘El Matador’ might just reach the same level of stardom as the Dubliner did.

Ilia Topuria can become the next poster boy for the UFC

Are we seeing the rise of the next biggest star of the UFC in Ilia Topuria? After his emphatic win against Max Holloway at UFC 308, the champion has become the topic of buzz in the MMA community. Some feel he has the magic mix of grit, charisma, and skill to go from a promising champion to a household name across the globe. One such believer is Michael Bisping, who rates ‘El Matador’ very highly. On a recent episode of the ‘Believe You Me’ podcast, the Brit shared his honest opinion on the whole.

The former champion feels Topuria is not only skilled inside the Octagon, but his confidence and his self-belief might make him the next big thing in MMA. He said, “Ilia Topuria now, and this is a wild shout, he is somebody that has all of the ingredients to be the next Conor McGregor, to be the person to reach that level of fame…”

Topuria is currently waiting for his next big fight and has multiple plans slated to further solidify his claim as a bona-fide icon of the fight game. In one of his interviews, he made it clear that he wants to become a triple division champion, which no fighter in UFC history has managed to pull off in their career.

However, the biggest question is, can he ever match up to Conor McGregor and beat him in terms of stardom? Do you think he is the next big thing in the UFC? Or is Conor McGregor the greatest featherweight of all time? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.