There are only a few days left until Ilia Topuria climbs into the UFC octagon to defend his featherweight belt against Max Holloway, one of the great active legends of the American company. The fight, which will be the star of UFC 308, whose location will be the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, has great implications for establishing himself as a superstar within the largest mixed martial arts league in the world.
During the so-called ‘Fight Week’, the days before the fight, the Topuria team has barricaded itself in a village near the stadium where the fights will take place. There they are concentrated, waiting for the most anticipated moment to arrive. «We are living a dream, this is unmatched. We are in a very cool town, with our houses in front of the beach, the climate is very relaxed. He is cutting weight and suffering a little, but we are very comfortable, putting incredible energy in the camp, which is an important addition at this time,” one of the El Matador coaches, Jorge Climentduring a brief meeting at the hotel where the rest of the fighters are staying.
The tactics of Ilia Topuria’s team before the fight with Max Holloway
Regarding the first defense of the title, the coach is very clear what the result will be. “Ilia is going to kill Holloway,” he says with complete confidence. And also, he reveals what will be the key to the fight against the Hawaiian fighter. «I think that at the beginning of the fight he will be summoned to exchange in the center of the octagon but Holloway is going to start running, because he is a smart guy. The thing is going to be in the wear and tear that he makes with the fight. As he wears him down, in the second round Ilia will catch him with a blow and finish him on the ground,” explains Jorge Climent.
«At this moment the most important fighters that the UFC has are Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria, but the quality of fighters that Ilia has faced is superior»
Jorge Climent
Ilia Topuria Coach
If the plan goes perfectly, Topuria would be the first fighter to defeat Alexander Volkanovski y Max Hollowayand also, doing it in just 8 months, running as one of the MMA fighters of the year, along with Alex Pereira, who has defended his belt three times. “At this moment the most important fighters that the UFC has are Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria, but the quality of fighters that Ilia has faced is superior,” says Jorge Climent, pointing out that Topuria would be above in importance this season.
