Ilia Topuria to consider fighting Alex Volkanovski in Sydney if he beats Max Holloway

Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is ready to hand Alex Volkanovski a massive boost with a home title fight for the Australian.

If he wins this weekend, featherweight champion Ilia Topuria says he’d consider fighting Alex Volkanovski in Sydney at UFC 312 in February.

The surprise admission comes just four days before his first title defence against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Topuria has become one of Spain’s biggest sporting stars since knocking Volkanovski out at UFC 298 in February, but the Aussie is adamant on getting revenge.

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Given his star power though, it was considered unlikely that Topuria would travel to Sydney for a Volkanovski rematch.

However, speaking to this masthead in Abu Dhabi this week, the 27-year-old said he’d be open to making a trip to the Harbour City.

“Yes, we’ll see what plans the UFC have for me, but yes, it’s possible,” Topuria, who fights Max Holloway this weekend, said. “We’ll see what happens this weekend – I know that I will be victorious – but then we’ll see.

“If the UFC want me to go to Sydney to defend my belt, I will.

“I’m used to fighting in enemy territory.”

Topuria doesn’t mind fighting away from home. Picture: Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images

A win early in the year in Australia could set Topuria up for a dream mega-event at the Santiago Bernabeu – the home ground of his beloved Real Madrid – later in the year.

A football diehard, Topuria celebrated his win over Volkanovski by taking the honorary kick-off at the Bernabeu when Real hosted Valencia in February.

He was greeted that night by former Real Madrid icon, and close mate, Sergio Ramos, who sat in the front row when Topuria fought Josh Emmett last year.

Topuria ranks Ramos alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi as his favourite footballers of all time, and would love nothing more than headlining a UFC event on the same pitch as his heroes play.

Sergio Ramos and Ilia Topuria. Picture: Angel Martinez/Getty Images

“I have to talk to Dana (UFC boss Dana White), because he doesn’t like to do events in outdoor stadiums,” he said.

“But the Bernabeu, that’s big. That’s something different.”

If it happens, an event at the famous football ground could break the UFC attendance record, currently held by Marvel Stadium in Melbourne for Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title win over Rob Whittaker at UFC 243 in 2019.

A grudge match against former two-weight world champion Conor McGregor would be the perfect main event, and Topuria called out the Irishman before he’d ever won the featherweight title.

But it’s been three years since McGregor stepped inside the Octagon, and nearly five years since his last win.

Instead, he’s had a series of false starts and injuries, with serious questions asked about whether he’ll ever fight again.

Topuria for one thinks ‘The Notorious’ is done.

“Conor’s not a big one – he’s retired,” he said. “He might come back because he needs the money, but there’s no way he’d come back with me.”

Originally published as Ilia Topuria to consider fighting Alex Volkanovski in Sydney if he beats Max Holloway