“I want to fight next Charles Oliveira. Let’s go. This is just a side quest, but my goal is a UFC title... Soon, I will hold the UFC belt and the BMF belt.”

– via his post-match interview at Hype Brazil, calling out the new BMF champion after submitting Muhammad Mokaev in their grappling main event

“I heard Dillon Danis wants to wrestle me. Grapple me, come on bro. Let's do it, let's make it happen. I won't give you this title. I am going to smoke you”

– via his post fight interview at Hype Brazil, calling out Dillon Danis after submitting Muhammad Mokaev

“Well, maybe BMF title. I want the real title, but I don't want to wait until then. Ilia, he fights once a year... If Charles Oliveira wins, it's going to be good. We've got a story.”

– via The Ariel Helwani Show (January 13, 2026), pivoting his strategy toward the BMF belt to avoid a long layoff in the lightweight division

“It's a business. At the end of the day, I have the same goal. Everybody knows that I will beat everybody, and it's just [a matter of] time. I hope they give me the BMF title at least. What are they going to give me? Who do we have in our division to fight if it's not Holloway?”

– via ESPN, expressing his frustration after being snubbed for the interim title fight and requesting a shot at the BMF title against Max Holloway.