Whe͏͏n͏ Ilia Topuria ͏defea͏t͏ed ͏Ale͏xa͏n͏der Volkanov͏ski ͏͏t͏o͏ cl͏in͏ch ͏the͏ ͏͏f͏͏e͏ather͏͏weig͏͏ht tit͏l͏͏e͏, he mad͏e ͏͏it c͏le͏͏ar that ͏h͏e wou͏͏l͏d no͏t ͏͏g͏͏ive Max͏ ͏͏Hollow͏a͏y a chan͏͏ce ͏t͏o fight f͏or i͏͏t, citin͏g ͏H͏͏olloway͏͏’s a͏ge a͏͏s a ke͏y͏͏ f͏actor.͏ H͏owever͏,͏ ͏w͏hen͏ ‘͏Bles͏s͏e͏d͏͏’͏ s͏tunn͏e͏d ͏͏͏͏t͏he͏͏͏͏ w͏͏orld ͏͏a͏t ͏UF͏C͏͏ 300 b͏y defeating J͏͏us͏t͏in ͏͏Ga͏ethje, ͏he ca͏lled o͏͏͏u͏͏t ‘͏͏El͏͏ Mat͏ador’ for ͏a c͏l͏ash͏.͏ T͏he champ i͏mme͏͏di͏͏a͏t͏e͏ly ac͏͏͏c͏͏e͏pte͏͏d͏ ͏the͏ ch͏͏͏al͏leng͏e,͏ ͏͏show͏i͏n͏g ͏r͏͏e͏͏͏spe͏ct͏͏͏͏ ͏for H͏͏ol͏loway’s i͏͏mp͏͏r͏essiv͏e ͏͏v͏icto͏ry͏. As he accepted the battle call, the community advised Topuria to not fight Holloway in the middle of the canvas but the Gerogian-Spanish fighter had some other thoughts.
Max Holloway’s impressive last-second buzzer-beater knockout victory against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 was the highlight of the year and this has raised immense concern for the featherweight champion who looked visibly terrified as he witnessed it live. However, is Topuria fazed by it? While in conversation with Ariel Helwani, Topuria asserted that he would go for that exact same move at the start of the match.
🚨| Ilia Topuria says he will walk to the centre of the octagon at the start of his fight with Max Holloway at #UFC308 and he will point to the ground and see if Holloway will meet him there.
“First 10 seconds. I’m gonna point to the middle of the octagon, and I will stay there.… pic.twitter.com/SGN8xy4Z73
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) October 15, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“First 10 seconds, I’m gonna point to the middle of the octagon, and I will stay there. I want to give the best and the most exciting 10 seconds in UFC history to the fans because they deserve it. If he stays in the middle, I promise I’m going to knock him out. I’m going to take his head off,” said Ilia Topuria. Well, not only that, the featherweight champ emphasized that Holloway is immensely scared of fighting him and he might duck the fight to fight in the lightweight division.
“Yeah, he was avoiding to fight me all the time. He said something like, ‘no, I said to the UFC I want the easiest fight, I want to fight with Ilia Topuria’. That’s a lie. A challenger never chooses his fights. Never. I’m the champion. I choose who I want to fight next and I said I want to fight Max Holloway. And they told me he’s asking to stay in the 155 [pound] division to fight with Michael Chandler,” said Topuria. Nevertheless, these confessions by the featherweight champ have been taken into cognizance by the MMA community who called him out for being a bit over-confident.
Ilia Topuria faces backlash from fans after attack on Max Holloway backfires
Ili͏a T͏opur͏ia ͏and C͏ono͏r Mc͏Gregor͏‘s stori͏es ͏seem͏ ͏to run parall͏el, eve͏n in th͏e͏ U͏FC 298 pre-fig͏ht pr͏ess confer͏e͏nce. Topu͏ria grabbe͏d Alexander ͏Volkanovski’s belt in͏ a manner reminiscent of ͏how McG͏regor took Jo͏s͏e Aldo’s belt before their f͏i͏gh͏t. Topuri͏a exudes a͏ strong Conor McGregor vibe, but the question ͏re͏mains—will he live up to the same standards?
What’s your perspective on:
Is Ilia Topuria the next McGregor, or just another fighter trying too hard to be noticed?
Have an interesting take?
Illia on his Conor arc. He’s speaking so cocky and arrogant now against peoples fav fighters and they’re hating him for it
Then when he actually does the shit he says he’s gonna be loved by everyone.
Him and Alex are the face of the UFC by end of year.
— Sports Club Boston 🏈 (@SportsclubBOS) October 15, 2024
When you don’t build your character and instead become the shadow of a former great, people begin to have diverging opinions about you, even if you’re a champion. Conor McGregor created his own legacy by introducing despicable trash talk to the game, but when Topuria tries to do the same, it feels like he’s just imitating McGregor, or at least that’s what the fans can discern.
I know he’s a great fighter, but he’s becoming extremely unlikeable. It’s like the more he tries the less I like him
— James (@JRandolph31) October 15, 2024
Max Holloway has decades of experience behind his back to not fall for any of the antics thrown by the new champion. The BMF champion understands that for him to gain the victory he would have to stretch the match till the final bell.
Max is smart enough not to take some dumbass bait at the beginning of a fight. That’s not what that’s meant for, it’s meant to be at the end of an all out WAR. Illia has become the most obnoxious UFC champ right alongside Belal. However, if the universe has its way, neither of…
— Savvy David (@SuperSavvyGames) October 15, 2024
Furthermore, more fans come forward to call out Ilia Topuria as having a unique personality rather than hanging upon McGregor’s personality.
He’s just annoying at this point
Copies Connor’s look, tries to copy Max’s signature BMF throwdown.
He gonna get flattened and I can’t wait to see it. Almost would rather Max just piece him up and put a beating on him over 5 rounds.
— Nathan A. Bauman (@nathanabauman) October 15, 2024
The fight between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway went all the way to the final second of the last round. It was an absolute banger and could very well be the highlight of the year. Many fans believe their rematch should also go the distance.
Hopefully they save it for the end of the fight instead of the first 10 seconds.
I think illia might be a bit scared that as the rounds go on maxs cardio will be a weapon against him.
— alfree (@hokagealfree) October 15, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Last but not least, Ilia Topuria has been warned by the fans to not underestimate Max Hollowayy’s kicking prowess despite him being one of the best boxers under the promotion.
dont under estimate Max’s kicking. Whenever Gaethe crouched low, he got a spinning kick to the mid section.
Max’s kick’s might be the x factor, and Ilia’s likes to stay low and be compact
— The Remoralizer (REMO) (@LooAnon) October 15, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
With just days remaining for their fight to happen, banter between the fighters is intensifying. Regardless, what’s your take on the fight? Who do you think will be the champion? State your thoughts in the comments below.
Have something to say?
Let the world know your perspective.
Debate
Is Ilia Topuria the next McGregor, or just another fighter trying too hard to be noticed?