Ilia Topuria – from hero to villain

If there’s one thing we know to be true about Ilia Topuria, it’s that he isn’t going to let anyone get in the way of him becoming one of the greatest fighters of all time.

That may sound a little bit overdramatic, but his last few fights alone prove that he has what it takes to really climb his way up the ladder of relevancy in that conversation. Of course, he’s got a long way to go before he can be mentioned among some of the true greats, but his last two fights alone have seen him really reach a whole new level.

Interestingly enough, it’s also seen a bit of a shift when it comes to the fan debate surrounding Ilia Topuria. He has an electric, entertaining style, but with that comes a certain level of confidence. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but given his last two opponents, it was always going to be tough for him to avoid going from hero to villain in the mind of many.

After all, his last two knockout triumphs have come against Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Also known as two of the most popular fighters in all of mixed martial arts.

The Ilia Topuria problem

With that being said, it seems as if we’re getting to a point now where a lot people are quite torn on Ilia Topuria. They want to be fans of him, but he keeps getting put against some absolutely sensational – and very enjoyable – fighters. He’s finishing them at every given opportunity, but he’s also dashing the dreams of the masses.

Who knows, maybe the narrative will slowly begin to shift once he’s partnered up with someone who doesn’t quite capture the imagination of fans as much. Either way, it’s going to be fascinating to watch his progression.