Ilia Topuria Talks Prediction For Conor McGregor’s Next UFC Fight

This would be a tough matchup for the UFC legend’s return to the octagon.

Jul 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor before fighting against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria is unsure of Conor McGregor's next move as a near-five-year return to the Octagon looms, with a potential summer timeline on the horizon.

Topuria, who is headlining UFC Freedom 250 against Justin Gaethje in a unification bout Sunday, June 14, in Washington D.C., was recently asked about whether a McGregor return would interest him enough for the pair to fight each other down the line.

Simply put, Topuria told Uncrowned Combat's Ariel Helwani that if the stars aligned, he would fight McGregor.

"It's not on my radar, but if I get offered that fight, we'll see where Conor is going to be at that point," Topuria said. "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 door for those kinds of opportunities, even if we are not on the same level right now."

But first, though, Topuria is focused on beating Gaethje before a potential mega-fight with UFC Welterweight Champion Islam Makhachev comes to fruition.

Should McGregor return, a fight that would make sense is a rematch against ex-rival Max Holloway, which Topuria predicted.

Is McGregor-Holloway 2 Possible?

Aug 17, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Conor McGregor (black shorts) and Max Holloway (white shorts) fight during a UFC featherweight match at the TD Garden. McGregor won after three rounds by judges decision. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

"You never know," Topuria said of the fight. "I thought that Max was going to beat Charles and he lost by complete domination. So I don't know, with Conor you never know. You never know."

The pair fought each other in Aug. 2013, with McGregor winning a unanimous decision over the eventual UFC Featherweight Champion. Both have had their own storied careers, with McGregor becoming a two-weight world champion while Holloway essentially beat everyone and anyone outside the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dusin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski, and Topuria over the last decade-plus.

Meanwhile, McGregor has been anything but active. A pinky toe injury canceled his fight with Michael Chandler in June 2024, but the fight never materialized again as the UFC went in a different direction with Chandler altogether.

Chandler will now share the UFC White House event with Topuria, returning to the Octagon against Mauricio Ruffy as part of the seven-fight card.

Conor McGregor's Return Timeline Unknown

Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC

It appears the UFC is still waiting to announce McGregor's comeback fight, one that has been long-awaited since a leg injury sustained in July 2021 against Poirier in their trilogy fight. It should be noted that it has been a little over six years since McGregor had his hand raised, making the return to the Octagon even more pressure-filled.

We'll see how this next chapter of the McGregor saga plays out.