The highlight of UFC 308 was the fight for the featherweight title. The champion Ilia Topuria had a difficult task – to stop the rampant Max Holloway. Although the bookmakers favored the undefeated “El Matador”, we in the editorial office mostly leaned more on the side of the challenger.
But in the end it happened almost exactly as the champion manifested. At the beginning of the match, he even invited Holloway to the center of the octagon, as he promised. But he, as expected, refused and gestured that he would be the matador today, avoiding the lunges of the aggressive bull. He did quite well in the beginning, Topuri’s hard punches often just skimmed the air and he seemed to be starting to slow down. But in the third round he hit first with a back direct and a few moments later he completed the work of destruction with a hard left hook.
A number of fighters watched this brutal performance directly in the hall, whose reaction was caught on camera. Former champion Alex Volkanovski applauded the performance of his conqueror, Merab Dvalishvili then, of course, loudly celebrated the victory of his compatriot. Caio Borralho looked as if he had been woken up by the cheers and Diego Lopes nodded in appreciation.
Alexander Volkanovski reacts to Ilia Topuria knocking out Max Holloway
(via UFC Korea) pic.twitter.com/43NuTvo5HV
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Volkanovski then followed the champion directly to the Octagon and on the way from the hall to the hotel he sent a nice message to both rivals. “Max, you are a legend, you will be back. And Ilio, congratulations, that was impressive. See you anywhere. It could be at the beginning of next year in Madrid, or in Sydney, the tournament will definitely be there. It would be perfect there, but we’ll see how it goes. But good job and all the best to you and your family. See you at the beginning of next year.’
“Well, beauty, Ilia is a guy,” Sean O’Malley commented on the match. In the past, his duel with Topuria was up in the air, but that is now over. “Who at featherweight wants to fight him now? He was dangerous all the time. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t want to see him against Islam? This was brutal, Topuria has a great style, although I often venture into it, but he is dangerous.’
“Good job Ilia, even if I don’t like you, you deserve credit. 16-0. hand sanitizer,Paddy Pimblett also chimed in. “I can’t wait for him to go up to lightweight. I still think I would beat him. Really, it doesn’t matter that he just beat Max. I would beat him, either by kicking him in the stance or by taking him to the ground and making him tap out.’
Islam Makhachev: “Congratulations champion, it was amazing. Max, keep your head up, you’re a legend.’
“Topuria has hands of stone. Hell of an ending,” written by Justin Gaethje.
Kamaru Usman: “Damn, that left hook was crazy.”
Henry Cejudo: “Give Ilio the BMF (“biggest tough guy”) belt. He’s the fighter of the year, not Alex Pereira.”
Cody Durden: “Topuria has dynamite in his hands!”
Cody Stamann: “The best boxer I’ve seen in MMA gloves. Topuria will be a dominant champion, perhaps the best there has ever been at featherweight.”
Conor McGregor disagrees with the last statement. He did not directly comment on Ilio’s performance yet, but he made it clear that he considers himself the best fighter in the history of featherweight. “There are several top fighters out there right now and I will beat any of them. I’m the terror of that division. I will hurt everyone on that list terribly and end it. Nobody even touches King Mac.” This probably needs no comment.
