Alexander Volkanovski wished a rematch with Ilia Topuria, however has no downside with the featherweight champion shifting as much as chase a second belt as a substitute.
Talks of reserving Topuria vs. Volkanovski emerged instantly after the primary occasion of UFC 298, which noticed Topuria rating a second-round knockout of Volkanovski to change into featherweight champion. Topuria went on to efficiently defend the title with one other gorgeous knockout of former titleholder Max Holloway, whereas Volkanovski has spent the higher a part of the previous 12 months having fun with a well-deserved break from competitors.
Volkanovski returns to combat for the featherweight belt at UFC 314 on April 12, however he’s not going through Topuria. As a substitute, Volkanovski takes on Diego Lopes for a vacant title, with Topuria shifting as much as light-weight for a possible combat with Islam Makhachev. Although it’s not but recognized if Topuria will instantly get a crack at Makhachev, Volkanovski believes it could be justified based mostly on how Topuria has dealt with the state of affairs.
“Put it this fashion, if he was making an attempt to hold on to each belts, I don’t assume that was going to occur,” Volkanovski mentioned on the Believe You Me podcast. “The truth that he’s vacated and the light-weight division’s ready the place, I don’t know, there’s no actual clear No. 1, I feel it’s honest. The truth that he vacated, I feel that that’s honest.
“If he wished to hold on and do the double champ factor, I feel he wanted to do extra work, however the truth that he’s like, ‘Look, I’m going to let this one go. Let that division transfer on. I need to decide to light-weight. I feel that’s large. I feel that’s honest, so I feel he kind of deserves it.”
Topuria is 16-0 in his profession and whereas featherweight is a division deep with potential contenders, “El Matador” believes he’s able to change into the UFC’s subsequent “champ-champ.” In accordance with UFC CEO Dana White, Topuria isn’t eager on reducing right down to 145 kilos anymore both.
Ought to Topuria finally step into the octagon with Makhachev, it could pit the No. 1 (Makhachev) and No. 2 (Topuria) Pound-for-Pound fighters in the world towards each other. They’ve a shared opponent in Volkanovski, who provided a prediction for the combat—and the way Topuria can win.
“How do I feel that combat’s going to go?” Volkanovski mentioned. “I’ve fought each of them. Islam goes to be a tough man to beat, for anybody, I feel the one probability of him dropping is somebody knocking him out. Like, somebody touchdown one thing, that’s what I consider. I’ve at all times believed that about myself, the one manner I might lose is somebody catching me moderately than really beating me. The one individual I consider that can give me that shut combat is Islam and I really feel the identical for Islam with numerous opposition. I feel everybody has a puncher’s probability and I feel that’s the one manner I see him actually dropping, somebody catching him.
“And if anybody can do it, it’s Ilia. Ilia’s clearly obtained some harmful palms, so for individuals to simply depend him out, he’s obtained energy in his palms, he’s going to be on the lookout for it. You recognize he’s composed and even when issues aren’t going his manner he’s going to maintain on the lookout for it, preserve looking for it till he does or till he loses. So he’s harmful, perhaps if the fuel tank goes, we’ll see when he begins them later rounds with somebody like Islam, however early on the primary couple or first three rounds, he’s going to be harmful. You don’t need to be getting caught by any of these punches, so if anybody can catch him, I feel Ilia’s proper up there for an opportunity.”
