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UFC Hall of Famer believes Ilia Topuria has set himself up for Conor McGregor-like ascent to superstardom

If Ilia Topuria gets the job done against Alexander Volkanovski, it could trigger his Conor McGregor-like ascent to superstardom….

If Ilia Topuria gets the job done against Alexander Volkanovski, it could trigger his Conor McGregor-like ascent to superstardom.

That is according to UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier who believes that ‘El Matador’ has done an excellent job of setting himself up to cash in should he leave Anaheim’s Honda Center with featherweight gold wrapped around his waist on February 17.

“[Topuria’s confidence] reminds me of Conor about to fight Jose Aldo,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “He told you, and he was so sure that he was going to get it done that you knew that if it happened, he would become a star that we’ve never seen in the UFC before or in fighting. So, when it happened, he went to the moon. I feel like Ilia Topuria is setting himself up to have that type of ascent if he can deliver on all of the promises that he is making.”

Ilia Topuria Faces His Toughest Test at UFC 298

Topuria has been brimming with confidence ever since his fight with reigning 145-pound champ Alexander Volkanovski was announced. And why wouldn’t he? He’s 14-0 in his mixed martial arts career with six of those victories coming under the UFC banner.

But he’s never fought someone like ‘The Great’

Ilia Topuria’s strength of schedule isn’t exactly doing him any favors in the eyes of his skeptics. After all, he only holds two victories over fighters in the featherweight top 15 — Bryce Mitchell and Josh Emmett. To his credit, Emmett is a former interim title challenger, but Mitchell is yet to prove himself as anything more than a mouthpiece for crazy conspiracy theories.

Still, ‘El Matador’ is confident that he’ll put away Volkanovski inside the distance. So much so that he’s already added “UFC world champion” to his social media profiles and is actively working on a documentary that follows his journey from contender to would-be king.

“It seems like all [Topuria] wants to do is put pressure on himself,” Cormier said. “This dude has now said he’s releasing a movie on becoming the champion of the world, this dude has updated his [social media] bio with another win and he’s now the UFC featherweight champion.

“This dude has stated he wants to fight in the same stadium where Real Madrid plays football in Spain. This dude has said to anyone that will listen how Alexander Volkanovski can not compete with him. Most people under these circumstances want to release the pressure. Not this dude” (h/t MMA Fighting).

Are you buying into Ilia Topuria’s self-imposed hype, or do you think his overabundance of confidence is going to blow up in his face come fight night?

Video – UFC 298’s Alexander Volkanovski offers hilarious response to claims that he’s ‘too old’ to fight

Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t have gray hairs. They’re just wisdom highlights. On Saturday, February 17 the reigning featherweight world champion…

Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t have gray hairs. They’re just wisdom highlights.

On Saturday, February 17 the reigning featherweight world champion will return to the Octagon determined to defend his title for the sixth time against undefeated standout Ilia Topuria. Leading up to their highly anticipated clash inside the Honda Center at UFC 298, ‘The Great’ has been inundated with comments from fight fans suggesting that the 35-year-old’s best days are behind him.

Instead of biting back at his skeptics, Volkanovski decided to lean into the narrative that he’s “too old” to fight via a hilarious promo in partnership with Sportsbet. In the clip— which you can see below — the champ takes part in a series of adventures commonly associated with the elderly. Gardening, falling asleep seconds after popping a videotape into the VCR (everyone under 25 can learn what that is right here), bickering with his neighbors, and running off some sidewalk skateboarders.

Sportsbooks have Volkanovski vs. Topuria as a Pick’em

Alexander Volkanovski is a cool 13-0 inside the Octagon as a featherweight, but after suffering not one, but two losses against current lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev in 2023, it is feared that ‘The Great’ may have lost a step or two.

As for Topuria, the first-time title challenger is coming in on a hot streak, winning his first 14 career fights, six of them coming under the UFC banner.

Currently, DraftKings has the bout listed as a pick’em with both Volkanovski and Topuria sitting at a -110.

Video – UFC 298’s Alexander Volkanovski offers hilarious response to claims that he’s ‘too old’ to fight

Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t have gray hairs. They’re just wisdom highlights. On Saturday, February 17 the reigning featherweight world champion…

Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t have gray hairs. They’re just wisdom highlights.

Sportsbooks have Volkanovski vs. Topuria as a Pick’em

As for Topuria, the first-time title challenger is coming in on a hot streak, winning his first 14 career fights, six of them coming under the UFC banner.

Currently, DraftKings has the bout listed as a pick’em with both Volkanovski and Topuria sitting at a -110.

Video – Israel Adesanya joins Alexander Volkanovski for sparring ahead of UFC 298: ‘I wanna see how sharp he is’

Former undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya may be sidelined from the Octagon amid an unspecified injury, however, the City…

Former undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya may be sidelined from the Octagon amid an unspecified injury, however, the City Kickboxing staple joined a late sparring session ahead of UFC 298 as training partner, Alexander Volkanovski prepares for his title fight return at the featherweight limit against Ilia Topuria.

Making his return to the Octagon next weekend in Anaheim, Volkanovski makes his comeback to the featherweight limit, attempting to launch another title defense in a grudge match with the unbeaten, Topuria.

Last time featuring at UFC 294 back in October at the lightweight limit, Volkanovski suffered a brutal first round high-kick and strikes KO loss to Islam Makhachev in the pair’s title fight rematch in Abu Dhabi.

And winding down training this week ahead of his trip to California ahead of next weekend’s title fight with Topuria, Volkanovski was joined at training by Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya, who has yet to receive booking since dropped his championship at UFC 293 back in September.

Israel Adesanya spars alongside Alexander Volkanovski pre-UFC 298

Linked with a title outing against newly-minted gold holder, Dricus du Plessis in his return to the Octagon, Adesanya claimed he travelled to training with Volkanovski, in order to find some inspiration and learn from the New South Wales native’s “energy”.

“[I got here] Thursday evening,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Just a quick one. I’m meant to stay for a week, but I’m gonna stay to just see Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) there in the last – in the home stretch. “I’ve seen him there before but I wanna see him in Wollongong, in Windang, at Freestyle MMA.”

“I wanna see him in his house, on the home stretch, see where his mindset’s at, see how sharp he is, and draw energy from it,” Israel Adesanya explained. “That’s why I am here.” (H/T MMANews)

When do you expect to see Israel Adesanya return to the UFC?

Confident Ilia Topuria planning ‘Road to the Belt’ documentary, promises release after title fight win at UFC 298

Brash featherweight contender, Ilia Topuria may be riding a close betting line into his championship debut at UFC 298…

Brash featherweight contender, Ilia Topuria may be riding a close betting line into his championship debut at UFC 298 next weekend against Alexander Volkanovski, however, the Georgian is set to release a documentary titled ‘Road to the Belt’ in the immediate aftermath of his headliner, remaining supremely confident of landing gold.

Topuria, the current number five ranked featherweight contender, is slated to take main event honors are UFC 298 in Anaheim, takes on dominant division gold holder, Volkanovski in his first attempt to mint himself as an Octagon gold holder.

Riding an unbeaten winning run since his 2020 debut in the Dana White-led promotion, Topuria most recently landed a wholly one-sided unanimous decision win over former interim featherweight title chaser, Josh Emmett last summer, earning his first championship siege as a result.

Ilia Topuria plans ‘Road to the Belt’ documentary

Currently riding a pick ‘em line of -108 into his UFC 298 headliner, compared to the -112 line on offer for Australian champion, Volkanovski – Topuria’s recent movement on the line is clearly indicative of his recent bravado, which has most certainly contributed to a free anchor including UFC 298 – as he chases gold for the first time.

And announcing intentions to steamroll New South Wales technician, Volkanovski at UFC 298 next weekend, Ilia Topuria claims he will finish the featherweight kingpin inside a single round in California – before turning around and chasing a championship clash against former duel-weight champion, Conor McGregor.

To some’s surprise to boot, Topuria – who has already labelled himself as the current champion on his official Instagram account, and today, revealed he is set to release a documentary labelled ‘Road to the Belt’ in the aftermath of UFC 298 – remaining confident of snatching spoils from Volkanovski.

Sharing his distinct thoughts on Ilia Topuria’s brash attitude ahead of their championship clash in Anaheim, Volkanovski claimed the former is already viewing himself as an out-and-out “superstar” fighter – before he’s even touched Octagon spoils.

“He’s (Ilia Topuria) already acting like he’s the champion and thinks he’s this,” Alexander Volkanovski explained. “He literally thinks he’s some superstar already. Oh, mate, that all changes February 17. and he’s gonna have a rude shock. He’s gonna have to literally eat a big humble pie and I get to do that. It’s perfect for my storyline, right now.”

Shutting down the possibility of title defenses against a host of contenders and former gold holders should he topple Volkanovski next weekend, Ilia Topuria told the likes of ex-champions, Max Holloway, and Yair Rodríguez in their quest for gold once more – as well as incoming UFC Mexico City co-headliner, Brian Ortega.

Making his return to the featherweight limit for the first time since he headlined UFC 290 back in July of last year during International Fight Week, Volkanovski successfully unified the belts on that occasion, stopping then-interim gold holder, Rodríguez with a barrage of ground strikes in the pair’s championship unification bout.

Last time out, however, Volkanovski was stopped with a brutal high-kick and strikes KO loss in October in a lightweight title rematch with Islam Makhachev, on just two weeks’ notice.

Alexander Volkanovski blasts Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC 298 grudge fight: ‘He literally thinks he’s some superstar’

Undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski has ripped incoming foe, Ilia Topuria ahead of their UFC 298 title battle next…

Undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski has ripped incoming foe, Ilia Topuria ahead of their UFC 298 title battle next weekend, questioning why the unbeaten contender appears to value himself as a “superstar” of sorts – despite the fact he’s yet to land Octagon spoils.

Volkanovski, the current undisputed featherweight champion, heads into his return at UFC 298 this month off the back of a massive high-kick knockout loss to undisputed lightweight titleholder, Islam Makhachev in the pair’s short-notice championship rematch in October of last year.

And returning to the featherweight limit for the first time since he successfully unified the featherweight titles against then-interim champion, Yair Rodríguez at UFC 290 last summer during International Fight Week, Volkanovski welcomes the charge of the charismatic, Topuria.

Already staking his claim for a title fight with former two-division champion, Conor McGregor – in a lucrative title clash in the future, Topuria has already ruled out defenses against perennial featherweight forces, Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, and the above-mentioned, Rodríguez.

Alexander Volkanovski rips Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC 298

As far as Volkanovski is concerned, however, he has his reservations regarding Topuria’s stance on his future – questioning how the challenger already sees himself as some form of “superstar”.

“He’s (Ilia Topuria) already acting like he’s the champion and thinks he’s this,” Alexander Volkanovski told the FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel. “He literally thinks he’s some superstar already. Oh, mate, that all changes February 17. and he’s gonna have a rude shock. He’s gonna have to literally eat a big humble pie and I get to do that. It’s perfect for my storyline, right now.”

Himself also weighing-up his future – at least at the featherweight limit ahead of his UFC 298 title fight return, New South Wales native, Volkanovski claims his journey at the lightweight class is far from over, despite his double-salvo of championship fight losses to the dominant incumbent, Makhachev.

Who wins at UFC 298 this month: Alexander Volkanovski or Ilia Topuria?