A few days ago, Ilia Topuria (15-0) promised that On October 26 he would show “who is the best featherweight fighter.” She was referring to him, of course. And that day has arrived. D-Day, H-Hour… at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. His date with history to go from champion… to legend. His rival, a legend of mixed martial arts: Max Holloway (26-7). He has never been knocked out. But that challenge is what, precisely, motivates the ‘Matador’ the most.
“I want to be the first to knock him out,” he has insisted in interview after interview, press conference after press conference. If it will be in the first round, something that Topuria himself defends, or later… the cage will dictate the sentence. But Hawaiian’s “lights out” is what he’s been preparing for so long. Just in case, as a wild card, the Hispanic-Georgian has an elite grappling that the world is waiting to know.
I want to be the first to knock him out
Given by Ilia Topuria.
But he doesn’t want to come to that. The ‘Matador’ wants to box with Holloway who, it seems, is reluctant to accept the challenge of exchanging in the center of the octagon during the first 10 seconds. He is interested in a long fight. If it goes to five rounds, the better for him. To the points. He is a fighter with a lot of volume, a winner of rounds… but with 10 centimeters more and a lot of power in his hands.
Facing a myth
Holloway is, in fact, a UFC legend. Six title wins, 10 belt fights in total, no one has landed more significant blows on the opponent than him… and he is the current BMF (‘Baddest Motherfucker’, which will not be in play, ed.) of the UFC. It is said that he is the best striker in the current UFC… but Topuria denies this. “I doubt it,” he says before adding that “if it is, let him prove it to me. “We exchange.” The challenge is launched.
I doubt Holloway is the best fighter in the UFC. If it is, show me
Data from Max Holloway.
“I will knock him out in the first round. With Volkanovski I waited for the second… but not this time,” Topuria warned. “You are going to see the fastest KO in history,” he insisted.
I’ll knock him out in the first round. With Volkanovski I waited for the second… but not this time
Holloway accepts the challenge, that of facing a brave bull, and understands the ‘Topurian mentality’: “His mind is very interesting. But if that’s what he needs to be the best version of himself on Saturday night, so be it.”
The Hawaiian, who has defeated rivals of all kinds and fought against the best in history at featherweight, is not daunted: “Everyone hits, everyone fights. Everyone does Greco-Roman wrestling, whatever you want to call it… what they do, this is it. Mixed martial arts… When I was his age, I had like all my titles won and title defenses…”
Everyone hits, everyone fights. Everyone does Greco-Roman wrestling, whatever you want to call it… what they do, this is it. Mixed martial arts…
In fact, Holloway was a champion at 25 years old; Topuria achieved it at 27 (to be the youngest current champion in the UFC). But time has passed and The ‘Matador’ reminds Holloway of his three defeats with Volkanovski… while he knocked him out in seven minutes last February.
The differences between Holloway and Topuria.
In his ‘prime’
There were no news or surprises in the early hours of yesterday Friday in Abu Dhabi. After making the weight on Thursday night (around 11:30 p.m.), Ilia Topuria confirmed his 65.8 kilos that qualify him to defend the featherweight belt. He left at 9:01 in the morning, at the Hilton in the Emirati city. Same for Max Holloway. They were the first to go up. No surprises in a ‘main event’ of UFC 308 that will take place as scheduled.
“Ilia is better than ever. Faster than ever, stronger than ever, smarter than ever. Defeat, not because it’s cool by any means, I think it’s impossible. I don’t see even a 1% chance of losing.”, told MARCA Omar Montes, one of the champion’s best friends.
Ilia is better than ever. Faster than ever, stronger than ever, smarter than ever
His entire team tells this newspaper the same thing. The data doesn’t lie. It arrives ‘flying’. The weighing was a formality. Suffering, as always, but mere paperwork for a staff that already controls it perfectly. Although the fighters can use the two hours contemplated, and some, sometimes, do not arrive… everything was under control here. The sooner you weigh yourself, the sooner you start gaining weight. On Friday he gained around 8 kilos only with rehydration and carbohydrate loading, and he will have gained around 10 kilos before the fight: he will enter the cage with about 76 kilos. A beast.
I will prove that I am the best fighter in the world
Already in the peofficial afternoon message seemed fresh, renewed. And at his side was Sergio Ramos, escorting him. “I will show that I am the best fighter in the world,” was the message he launched a Topuria that grew before the whistles of the stands. He is the villain again. And he’s not worried. Yesterday he slept like a dormouse, recharging his batteries for the night in which he seeks to become a legend.
