Ilia Topuria took the MMA community by storm with a scintillating knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski, the long-reigning undisputed featherweight champion, at UFC 298. Post-victory, the Georgian-born Spanish resident called out the ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor.
Topuria was the betting underdog in the fight but many including Jamahal Hill and Gilbert Burns, among others, predicted a knockout victory for Topuria. The new featherweight champion has now revealed how his game plan worked in knocking out the former champion of the division.
Ilia Topuria provides insightful analysis of Alex Volkanovski bout
Ilia Topuria is riding high after his title triumph at UFC 298. Topuria has become a household name in Spain, where he recently became a citizen. In a recent interview with Europop on YouTube, the champion revealed the game plan he used to knock out Alexander Volkanovski.
“We’ve noticed that Volkanovski moves a lot around the octagon. But we also knew that at some point, he would stop and exchange with me”, said Topuria who went on to state that it was the reason why he threw long combinations of right and left hooks on Volkanovski.
Topuria executed the game plan in the second round of their bout with Volkanovski. Interestingly, the duo even had a small chat inside the octagon before the knockout happened in the fight.
Topuria was very focused in the fight and did not throw a long combination before the finishing sequence. As Volkanovski was circling out, Topuria pressured him. When he got the Australian trapped before the cage, he threw the knockout combination.
Ilia Topuria hails Conor McGregor as UFC GOAT
Ilia Topuria’s journey to title triumph in the UFC closely resembled that of Conor McGregor and many even called Topuria a ‘miserable copycat‘ version of McGregor. Interestingly, McGregor was the one he called out after his title triumph.
Nevertheless, Topuria has no ill will toward McGregor and he has even criticized people for hating McGregor. Recently, he hailed Conor McGregor as the GOAT of UFC, saying, “Simply because he represents the first big wave of European MMA”, per Fansided.
However, Topuria also stated that McGregor is part of the old guard, and it is time for the newer generation of fighters, like himself, to replace the old generation. Topuria also had a similar sentiment before he faced Volkanovski as well.
McGregor has not fought since he broke his leg at UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier. However, Cody Durden, a UFC flyweight, recently leaked news of McGregor headlining UFC 303 against Michael Chandler.
As of Topuria, rumors circulate of him headling a PPV at the Santiago Bernabeu in Spain. No official confirmation has been made but Dana White has expressed interest in doing it in Spain.
Do you think Ilia Topuria will have a long reign as the featherweight champion of the UFC? Leave your prediction below.
