Final Combating Championship (UFC) Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vs. former Featherweight kingpin and Baddest Motherf—ker (BMF) Max Holloway is barely eight days away (Sat., Oct. 26, 2024), and the struggle, which fits down at UFC 308 inside Etihad Area on “Struggle Island” in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is heating up.
For probably the most half, Topuria has been saying he’ll knock Holloway out, identical to he did Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 this yr (watch it). Nevertheless, as we speak (Thurs. Oct. 17, 2024), the champion revealed that his grappling is healthier than his boxing and can submit “Blessed” if the struggle goes to the ground.
“Think about, within the struggle, [Holloway] begins to run round contained in the octagon, and he doesn’t cease to change punches with me and actually struggle,” Topuria informed Kevin Iole. “I can take the choice to take him down each time I need. As quickly as I take that call, I’ll submit him. As quickly as he touches the bottom, he shall be submitted.
“Look, I don’t wish to take credit score from Max Holloway as a result of he demonstrates that he’s an excellent fighter with a number of expertise. However on the similar time, he’s by no means confronted anybody like me. By no means ever. The second that I take him down – if that occurs, if I don’t knock him out earlier than, I don’t suppose he’ll be capable of cease my submissions. Belief me, I’m very, excellent on the bottom. I feel I’m higher on the bottom than I’m in placing. The factor is, individuals have by no means seen my floor recreation as a result of I haven’t wanted it,” Topuria concluded.
“El Matador” is telling the reality about his floor recreation. It is vitally good, and he was thought of a grappler lengthy earlier than he began knocking individuals lifeless. His first seven skilled fights ended by way of submission (six within the first spherical). Topuria then fell in love with boxing, and now he prefers knocking individuals out.
Now, will he submit Holloway?
“Blessed” has solely been submitted as soon as in his 33-fight profession, and that was to Dustin Poirier in his UFC debut at UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit in 2012.
The advantage of this dilemma is that everybody will get to seek out out in t-minus eight days.
