Ilia Topuria will knock out Max Holloway if he points to the ground: ‘Such an easy matchup for me’
Undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria has vowed to knock out former divisional champion, Max Holloway ahead of their title tangle in two months time at UFC 308 — goading the Hawaiian to try his nerve and invite him to trade in the center of the Octagon.
Topuria, the current undisputed featherweight champion, is slated to headline UFC 308 at the end of October in Abu Dhabi, UAE — taking on former champion and current symbolic BMF titleholder, Holloway in a championship grudge fight.
Initially, the promotion had targeted an undisputed lightweight title fight between pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev and number one ranked division challenger, Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch, however, an unspecified arm injury suffered by the incumbent forced the scrapping of a matchup.
Winning his divisional crown in the main event of UFC 298 earlier this annum, Georgian-Spaniard, Topuria most recently ended the winning spree of common-foe, Alexander Volkanovski with a stunning second round knockout win in Anaheim, California.
Ilia Topuria vows to KO Max Holloway in the center of the Octagon
However, goading Hawaiian fan-favorite, Holloway ahead of UFC 308, Topuria has dared the ex-champion to share the center of the Octagon with him as he did en route to a stunning buzzer-beating knockout of Justin Gaethje on the main card of UFC 300 earlier this annum.
“If he’s (Max Holloway) going to bring the same energy he brings in the last 10 seconds of every round, when he doest his (point to ground), I’m going to knock him out in the first round,” Ilia Topuria told MMA Junkie. “Because in the moment he’s going to stop in the middle and start to exchange and punches with me. I recommend him to use a helmet, because he’s going to need.”
If he does it, even better for me,” Ilia Topuria explained. “Maybe I’m going to point to the ground. Maybe I will do all that because I’m going to feel so comfortable in that fight because I’m telling you, ever time I see him fight I’m like, ‘Everyone is going to be surprised when I knock him out,’ because I see him as luke such an easy matchup for me. If he thinks that I’m not right, prove me wrong. We’re going to be in the same Octagon, October 26. prove me wrong.”
