Tag: alexander volkanovski

Volkanovski’s Coach: Ilia Topuria Doesn’t Have ‘The Right’ To Go For Second Title Yet

The coach of Alexander Volkanovski believes UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria hasn’t yet earned a chance to add the lightweight belt to his collection. Topuria has risen to the 145-pound mountaintop in brutal fashion this year, first knocking out Volkanovski to capture the crown at UFC 298 in Anaheim this past February. Eight months later, […]

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The coach of Alexander Volkanovski believes UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria hasn’t yet earned a chance to add the lightweight belt to his collection.

Topuria has risen to the 145-pound mountaintop in brutal fashion this year, first knocking out Volkanovski to capture the crown at UFC 298 in Anaheim this past February.

Eight months later, “El Matador” cemented his grip on the title by becoming the first man to stop the great Max Holloway with strikes. Topuria achieved that feat in the main event of last month’s UFC 308 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, closing the show with a vicious left hook in round three.

The Spaniard is quickly building a strong legacy at featherweight, and at the age of just 27, he has plenty of time to achieve his goal of surpassing the champs that came before him in the division.

Topuria, however, appears to already have one eye on conquering another weight class. Even before he added Holloway’s name and a first defense to his résumé, the fast-rising star outlined his plans to dethrone lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev.

In addition to going back and forth with the Dagestani on social media, Topuria has even vowed to beat Makhachev at his own game by becoming the first to submit him.

One man who is certainly familiar with the lightweight champ, however, has told Topuria to hold his horses…

During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, coach Joe Lopez reacted to Topuria’s talk of a move up in weight. Volkanovski’s trainer insisted that “El Matador” remains far from having earned the right to challenge the titleholder above him.

“That’s great (Topuria wanting Makhachev), but you’ve gotta have — like with anybody, you’ve gotta have at least five or six title defenses before you start looking at doubling up,” Lopez said. “You’re just holding up divisions. When you’ve cleaned out a division, then you’ve got the right to jump up a division. Until then, you’ve just gotta fight the cause in your division, you know?

“I guess it’s like jumping the queue and you want to have the title shot before somebody else that’s above you, you know? But it’s just human nature, I guess,” Lopez continued. “Everybody wants that double champ status ’cause it’s very rare to get.”

Volkanovski himself recorded four successful defenses before his first opportunity to add a second title to his trophy cabinet in 2023. A fifth then came ahead of a sophomore chance at unseating Makhachev on short notice that same year.

With that in mind, it would appear Topuria has some work to do before looking to prove his confidence correct when it comes to outgrappling Makhachev inside the cage.

Continue Reading Volkanovski’s Coach: Ilia Topuria Doesn’t Have ‘The Right’ To Go For Second Title Yet at MMA News.

Alexander Volkanovski On Ilia Topuria’s Fighter Of The Year Claim: ‘If It Wasn’t Pereira Saving Cards…’

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is backing Ilia Topuria for 2024’s Fighter of the Year accolade despite Alex Pereira’s record-breaking run. Topuria took another step toward greatness on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage on Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, where he headlined the UFC 308 pay-per-view against BMF titleholder and 145-pound legend Max Holloway. […]

Continue Reading Alexander Volkanovski On Ilia Topuria’s Fighter Of The Year Claim: ‘If It Wasn’t Pereira Saving Cards…’ at MMA News.

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is backing Ilia Topuria for 2024’s Fighter of the Year accolade despite Alex Pereira’s record-breaking run.

Topuria took another step toward greatness on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage on Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, where he headlined the UFC 308 pay-per-view against BMF titleholder and 145-pound legend Max Holloway.

After shockingly putting Volkanovski down in Anaheim this past February, “El Matador” repeated the feat at Holloway’s expense, becoming the first to knock the Hawaiian out in the process.

Just weeks ago, many saw the Fighter of the Year debate as being wrapped up after Pereira defeated Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 to record his third successful light heavyweight defense of the year.

Pre-UFC 308, though, Volkanovski outlined a strong case for Topuria were he to add Holloway’s name to his growing résumé in the sport’s leading promotion.

And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Volkanovski said there wouldn’t even be a debate about “Poatan” pipping Topuria to the post if it wasn’t for the way in which his assignments came together.

The Australian pointed out that Pereira is credited with ‘saving’ the promotion after a struggle to find a suitable UFC 300 main event and the late-notice withdrawal of Conor McGregor weeks before UFC 303.

“A few things come into play when you’re saving cards. Put it this way, if it wasn’t Pereira saving cards and putting his belt on the line while saving cards, it would be clearly Ilia,” Volkanovski said. “Yeah, you’ve had three defenses, but the two that Ilia took out and finished us both, it’s hard to pick against Ilia, to be honest.

“Before this past weekend, I was like, ‘How does Pereira not get it?’ It was pretty clear,” Volkanovski continued. “It’s pretty impressive, man. It’s tough to say.”

Pereira’s victories over Jamahal Hill, Ji?í Procházka, and Rountree this year came in the space of just 175 days, breaking Ronda Rousey’s record for the shortest time to record three consecutive defenses.

The level of competition Topuria has faced, however — alongside the manner with which he’s beaten two of the greatest of all time — has made him a popular choice for Fighter of the Year.

Beyond that discussion concluding in a couple of months’ time, Volkanovski appears likely to be the one next tasked with bringing Topuria’s violent run to an end.

After he entered the cage for a respectful interaction with the champ in Abu Dhabi, the Australian was confirmed as the next challenger by UFC CEO Dana White, setting the stage for a monumental rematch in 2025.

Continue Reading Alexander Volkanovski On Ilia Topuria’s Fighter Of The Year Claim: ‘If It Wasn’t Pereira Saving Cards…’ at MMA News.

Volkanovski Responds to Conor McGregor vs. Ilia Topuria Drama: ‘That’s Not Happening’

Volkanovski Responds to Conor McGregor vs. Ilia Topuria Drama: ‘That's Not Happening’Alexander Volkanovski is not concerned by Conor McGregor’s recent online rivalry with reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. Even before…

Volkanovski Responds to Conor McGregor vs. Ilia Topuria Drama: ‘That's Not Happening’

Alexander Volkanovski is not concerned by Conor McGregor’s recent online rivalry with reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.

Even before his incredible third-round KO against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, Topuria and the Irishman had been trading barbs on social media and in recent interviews, setting the groundwork for a potential clash inside the Octagon someday.

Conor McGregor

Volkanovski, who was revealed to be the next man in line for Topuria following Saturday’s pay-per-view in the UAE, addressed the recent drama between McGregor and Topuria and whether or not he was concerned with the former champ-champ trying to steal his spotlight.

“Nah, I mean if he [Topuria] wanted it… But he’s [McGregor] not getting down to featherweight [and] by the time that happens that will be two years… So it ain’t gonna happen,” Volkanovski told Ariel Helwani. “I don’t know what he meant by “call me.” Whether they do that in a different division… We all know that’s not happening anytime soon anywhere.”

Topuria captured the title last February via a second-round knockout of Volkavnovski at UFC 298 in Anaheim. Since then, ‘The Great’ has taken some much-needed time away from the Octagon but looks primed to return in 2025 and run it back with ‘El Matador’ in hopes of reclaiming the crown he carried for more than four years.

Conor McGregor’s ‘Call me’ post has everyone scratching their heads

Immediately after Ilia Topuria became the first fighter to ever knock out Max Holloway in MMA, McGregor curiously posted a message on social media stating, “Call me.”

Conor McGregor

Initially, everyone believed that it was the Irish megastar once again feigning interest in a fight with Topuria.

However, McGregor may have been targeting Holloway for a potential BMF title tilt. Blessed’ is still the holder of the bragging rights belt even after his brutal loss at UFC 308 over the weekend. Given their built-in history, McGregor vs. Holloway could be a perfect return match for McGregor now that Michael Chandler has opted to move on.

Conor McGregor

Ilia Topuria’s Coach Reveals Why He Expects A More Dangerous Volkanovski In The Rematch

Despite the incredible run that Alexander Volkanovski went on as the featherweight champion, he’s going to be the underdog in his upcoming rematch with Ilia Topuria. When the two men exchanged pleasantries inside the Octagon this past weekend at UFC 308, it was clear that this fight would be next but there’s some big question […]

Continue Reading Ilia Topuria’s Coach Reveals Why He Expects A More Dangerous Volkanovski In The Rematch at MMA News.

Despite the incredible run that Alexander Volkanovski went on as the featherweight champion, he’s going to be the underdog in his upcoming rematch with Ilia Topuria. When the two men exchanged pleasantries inside the Octagon this past weekend at UFC 308, it was clear that this fight would be next but there’s some big question marks hanging over it.

After the way that Topuria stopped Volkanovski in February and then went on to finish Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi, “El Matador” is on his own iconic run right now and that’s going to be difficult for the former champion to stop.

One of the major talking points of their first encounter does come back around for the rematch though and that’s how much Volkanovski was affected by his knockout loss to Islam Makhachev several months before. A lot of people who picked Topuria to win that fight did so with the belief that “The Great” had jumped back in too quickly, especially when facing someone with the kind of power that his opponent is known for.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, this is something that Topuria’s coach drew attention to as why they cannot afford to take this rematch lightly just because they’ve beaten their next opponent before.

Jorge Climent, of Climent Club in Alicante, said that he expects a better version of the former champion meaning that this isn’t just a re-treading of steps for the featherweight king.

“I think Volk in a rematch is going to be more dangerous than the first time because I think when he take the fight, is not the moment for fight with Ilia. If I’m his coach, I’m going to tell Volk in that moment, is not the right moment. You have a knockout, you have a fight, I don’t remember exactly, two months and you have a knockout. I think he have the time for recovery and to think and do a better strategy with Ilia.”

Continue Reading Ilia Topuria’s Coach Reveals Why He Expects A More Dangerous Volkanovski In The Rematch at MMA News.

UFC 306: Ilia Topuria is the Next Star in the Making After Destroying Max Holloway

In the end, Ilia Topuria did exactly what he said he’d do. The featherweight champion was back in action in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 308 card in Abu…

In the end, Ilia Topuria did exactly what he said he’d do. The featherweight champion was back in action in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 308 card in Abu…

Ilia Topuria Refuses to Defend Title Against Volkanovski in Australia: “That’s Never Going to Happen”

Ilia Topuria Refuses to Defend Title Against Volkanovski in Australia: "That's Never Going to Happen"Ilia Topuria is happy to run it back with Alexander Volkanovski, but he won’t do it in The Land…

Ilia Topuria Refuses to Defend Title Against Volkanovski in Australia: "That's Never Going to Happen"

Ilia Topuria is happy to run it back with Alexander Volkanovski, but he won’t do it in The Land Down Under.

In February, ‘El Matador’ secured a second-round TKO against ‘The Great’ to claim the featherweight title. On Saturday, Topuria will put his shiny new belt on the line for the very first time when he meets division staple Max Holloway in the UFC 308 headliner in Abu Dhabi.

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Should Topuria pass his test against ‘Blessed’ in the UAE, he could find himself tasked with once again taking out Volkanovski in a rematch that feels almost inevitable. Just don’t expect the champ to give Volk the home-field advantage if and when they run it back.

“If that makes him feel happy thinking that, maybe, I will go to Australia, that’s okay, but in myself, that’s never going to happen,” Topuria said during Wednesday’s UFC 308 media day. “I am the champion and if you want to fight for the title again, it has to be in Madrid instead of fighting in Australia in front of your people. Why would I want to give you that advantage?”

Max Holloway Looks to hand Ilia Topuria his first career loss at UFC 308

Topuria rides into UFC 308 with a perfect 15-0 record, including seven straight wins inside the Octagon.

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Meanwhile, Max Holloway will be making the walk for his ninth title fight under the UFC banner. Blessed’ is a former interim and undisputed featherweight champion with successful title defenses against Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega, and Frankie Edgar.

Holloway also holds wins over Charles Oliveira, Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis, Calvin Kattar, Yair Rodriguez, Arnold Allen, and The Korean Zombie. His last appearance came at UFC 300 when he scored a buzzer-beating knockout against Justin Gaethje to capture the BMF title.

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