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Ilia Topuria is the speak of the Featherweight division after UFC Jacksonville this previous weekend (June 24, 2023).
Headlining his first profession UFC most important occasion, Topuria, 26, carried out masterfully in his unanimous choice win over a perennial high contender, Josh Emmett. The win launched Topuria from No. 9 to No. 5 within the official UFC rankings, subsequently, positioning the undefeated 14-0 Spaniard firmly ready to request a title shot.
Topuria is keen to attend for the winner UFC 290’s title unification bout between undisputed and interim champions, Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez, which matches down subsequent weekend (Sat., July 8, 2023). Nonetheless, ought to a giant alternative like a Max Holloway most important occasion in Spain come up, Topuria is open to that as a substitute, however the present reigning champ want to have a recent face awaiting him post-Rodriguez.
“I’m listening to lots of people mentioning different guys, Ilia combating different guys — I’m like, ‘No,’” Volkanovski stated on DC & RC (h/t MMA Junkie). “Don’t do it. Simply give me a man. Give me a contender. To be trustworthy, I’m not going to say an excessive amount of. I believe he’s an excellent fighter. However the extra I communicate, the much less I’m going to hype up the struggle. I believe he’s nice.
“I believe it’s an important struggle and that will work effectively on some individuals, however received’t work effectively on others,” he continued. “I would like [new] guys. I need to be energetic. I used to be at a stage the place I used to be like, ‘Give me the No. 1 man.’ We’ve form of cleared them. Everybody’s raving on about this man. I’ve received Yair to fret about. I’ll fear about that first, as a result of I see him as a a lot greater menace than Ilia. I’ll ensure that I’m going on the market and do my enterprise, and if that’s on the playing cards — once more, I need to be energetic.”
Volkanovski’s upcoming protection will act as his return to the 145-pound division after making an attempt to seize Light-weight gold in Feb. 2023 towards Islam Makhachev. Sadly for “The Nice,” Volkanovski misplaced through a unanimous choice (watch highlights).
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