Ilia Topuria added one other highlight-reel knockout to his resume at UFC 317.
After taking up the featherweight division with back-to-back KOs of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, ‘El Matador’ conquered one other weight class on Saturday evening, securing an epic first-round end of Charles Oliveira to seize the vacant light-weight world title.
As if shifting to an ideal 17-0 wasn’t spectacular sufficient, Topuria’s final three wins contained in the Octagon have even probably the most fickle of battle followers believing that ‘El Matador’ might very properly be one of the best P4P combined martial artist on the planet proper now.
“It’s wonderful. It’s tough to clarify with easy phrases,” Topuria advised reporters throughout his post-fight interview. “Beating guys like Volk, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira—not many individuals on the planet can say that. What’s wonderful is not only the best way I carry out, however the truth that I referred to as my shot proper the entire time. I mentioned I used to be going to knock him out within the first spherical.”
What’s Subsequent For Ilia Topuria?
What’s subsequent for Topuria stays to be seen, although if he will get his method, it’ll be a long-awaited conflict with rising title contender Paddy Pimblett.
Topuria and Pimblett engaged in a heated staredown instantly following the UFC 317 headliner, an encounter that left Dana White fuming.
“That’s not the battle,” White mentioned after Topuria and Pimblett squared up. “It shouldn’t occur. I don’t give a sh*t if it was enjoyable to look at or not. That shouldn’t occur. Plus, he wins a second title in the next division. It was a nasty name by whoever the hell allow them to in there.”
Lately, middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis claimed that Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett would co-main occasion at UFC 319 in August, with the winner more likely to problem Topuria later this 12 months.
“Co-main occasion is Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje,” Du Plessis mentioned in a video that’s been making the rounds on social media. “That’s an superior battle. Superior battle.”
