For Ilia Topuria, it was evident that his recent loss to heavy underdog Justin Gaethje would bring some hostile reactions towards him. Proving that point, Islam Makhachev didn’t waste a second mocking the Georgian-Spaniard for what he perceived as Topuria effectively quitting against his opponent in the UFC Freedom 250 main event.

“He who exalts himself will be humbled!” Islam Makhachev posted on X. “There’s levels in this game! Congratulations, Justin, you deserve this belt more than anyone!”

Here, the reigning welterweight champion appeared to take a shot at Topuria’s personality rather than simply his performance. Throughout their rivalry, the Georgian-Spaniard repeatedly threatened Islam Makhachev with a knockout and often dismissed the Dagestani’s accomplishments. He also previously accused Makhachev of making excuses regarding injuries when the two were rumored to meet at UFC Freedom 250.

For all those reasons and more, Makhachev seemingly implied that Topuria’s confidence ultimately made his defeat even more difficult to swallow. However, the Dagestani star did not stop there. Shortly, he fired off another post, this time mocking the former champion for being unable to continue after four rounds against Gaethje.

“To quit in the biggest fight of your career is something not everybody can do,” Makhachev posted. “Real La Leyenda 😃”.

To be fair, Topuria appeared willing to continue fighting despite the damage he absorbed. However, the former champion had already received a warning from the cageside physician due to the condition of his face in the third round, and referee Marc Goddard allowed the fight to continue after Ilia protested. But, once his corner realized that additional punishment could be detrimental, they ultimately decided to stop the fight in the fourth round while Topuria sat on the stool. Even so, Makhachev’s latest jab went beyond the loss itself.

By mentioning ‘La Leyenda,’ the welterweight champion referenced Topuria’s brief nickname change before UFC 317. Ahead of his title fight against Charles Oliveira, the Georgian-Spaniard replaced ‘El Matador’ with ‘La Leyenda,’ which translates to “The Legend” in English. The nickname was meant to reflect his growing legacy in the sport, although he later returned to his original moniker.

However, after Topuria failed to establish his dominance at lightweight, Makhachev used the nickname against him as a way of highlighting what he perceived as overconfidence. In that sense, the former lightweight champion’s defeat gave the Dagestani another opportunity to revisit one of the key moments that shaped their rivalry. 

That said, as Ilia Topuria deals with the first loss of his UFC career, criticism from his rivals has continued to pour in. And following Makhachev’s comments, several of his familiar foes have also decided to weigh in on the former champion’s defeat.   

Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan thrash Ilia Topuria after recent loss  

Alongside Islam Makhachev, fighters such as Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan also had plenty of history with Ilia Topuria. So, after the former lightweight champion suffered a shocking loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, both men joined in on the criticism and took shots at the Georgian-Spaniard for losing his belt via doctor stoppage.

“The only thing you had to do was beat a 38-year-old coming off of a 5-round war with me,” Pimblett wrote on X. “Instead, you quit on your stool like the little bitch you are 🤣 I’m a real fighter and went 5 rounds, you’re a little pretender chorizo! Congratulation.”

It appears that Paddy Pimblett had been waiting for an opportunity to respond. After all, when the Englishman lost to Gaethje earlier this year, Topuria took to social media and mocked him using a similar tone. For this, Pimblett seemingly used the UFC Freedom 250 result to return the favor. 

After that, Arman Tsarukyan also joined the conversation. Unlike Pimblett, however, the Armenian kept his reaction brief. Aiming for the former champion, Tsarukyan gave him a new nickname and wrote, “Ilia ‘No Mas’ Topuria.” The phrase ‘No Mas’ roughly translates to “no more” and is often associated with being unable to continue. Because of that, Tsarukyan’s jab appeared to be a direct reference to Topuria’s corner stopping the fight after the fourth round against Gaethje.

That said, even with the loss, there is little doubt that Ilia Topuria remains one of the most talented fighters on the UFC roster. However, after suffering the first defeat of his UFC career and losing his lightweight title in the process, every move he makes from this point forward will likely carry even greater significance for his legacy.