At 28-years-old Ilia Topuria is slowly but surely turning his haters into his admirers. With an undefeated record and a relentless fighting style, the Georgian-Spanish powerhouse has already beaten some legends of the sport. His first victim was former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski whom he knocked out at UFC 298. While many thought it was a fluke, he did the unthinkable at UFC 308 by knocking out Max Holloway for his first title defense. He did all this with a pinch of arrogance not liked by many.
Topuria’s dominance stems from his well-rounded skill set. His boxing is crisp, powerful, and technically sound. Adding to that his grappling, honed through years of training, makes him a threat on the ground. The 28-year-old has his eyes set on a clash with lightweight champion Islam Makhachev next. Although there is no announcement of the fight yet, the fight will be a test for the champion because of Topuria’s skill level. But more than the skills it’s the way he uses them, that has impressed former UFC fighter Robbie Lawler. MMA Uncensored took to their Instagram account to share a conversation Lawler had during an episode of ‘The Jaxxon Podcast’.
Lawler nicknamed ‘Ruthless’ was a master in taking his opponents to deep waters during his fighting days. The 43-year-old understands what it really takes to be a champion at the highest level and feels Topuria’s boxing skills and his versatility are what really sets him apart. While speaking to Bear Degidio he said, “I mean there’s obviously Topuria. Topuria is freaking really nasty. He has good hand speed. But he has options. A lot of times when you are fighting—I can do this if he does that, I do this. It’s just the technical side of it with his physicality. I think physicality plays a huge role. Because it wouldn’t matter if he had plan A, had plan B. If he does this if he couldn’t hurt somebody when you get to those spots. And that’s what he is able to do. He gets to his spots, you f..k up and he freaking makes you pay”.
Topuria indeed makes you pay and his records are a testament to them. Knocking out some of the legends of the sport is never easy and ‘El Matador’ has indeed done that. However, what truly sets Topuria apart, is his confidence. He carries himself with the swagger of a champion, calling his shots and delivering on them. The 28-year-old has now issued a warning to Islam Makhachev and is confident that he can beat him.
Islam Makhachev will be easy work for Ilia Topuria as revealed by him
Ilia Topuria is a man who fears no one once he enters the Octagon. After dismantling the featherweight division, “El Matador” has now turned his attention to capturing lightweight gold. The undefeated Spanish-Georgian phenom isn’t known for his confidence and his ability to get under the skin of his opponents. With no clear No. 1 contender in sight, he wasted no time in issuing a warning to the champion. Previously the 28-year-old said during a recent interview with ‘HardStyle TV, “Islam is tough, but at the same time, I don’t know what could make me doubt myself—that I won’t knock him out or submit him.”
But this time Topuria has delivered his message in the most straightforward way possible. His warning to Islam Makhachev? Just five words—and they spoke volumes. He took to his Instagram and issued a warning to the Dagestani fighter, which not many would dare to do. “I’ll beat ur a– b—h.”, this is what exactly the soon-to-be former featherweight champion said. With that single statement, Ilia Topuria didn’t just ignite his rivalry with the Dagestani champion. He has rather sent a message to the entire division. Known for his bold proclamations, “El Matador” has never hesitated to call his shot. But this time the man he is going after is considered by many as the number one ‘Pound 4 Pound’ in the sport of MMA.
Can Ilia Topuria do the unthinkable against Islam Makhachev? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “He Makes You Freaking Pay” – Robbie Lawler Gives Brutally Honest Verdict on ‘Nasty’ Ilia Topuria appeared first on EssentiallySports.
