- Ilia Topuria has got his eyes set only on a title fight or Max Holloway
- “El Matador” is confident he could finish Alexander Volkanovski in the first round
Ilia Topuria is not going to settle for just anybody else after securing a decision win over Josh Emmett at UFC Jacksonville. For “El Matador,” it’s only either a title fight with Alexander Volkanovski next or a showdown with Max Holloway in Spain.
A non-negotiable Proposal
Speaking to the media in his post-fight press conference, Topuria said he has proven that he is next in line and he will be patiently waiting until the UFC calls him up for a title fight. If that offer doesn’t take place, Topuria would be open to facing “Blessed” in his home country.
“Busy, no busy, I don’t know if he’s [Volkanovski is] busy,” Topuria said. “I’m the next guy in the line, I can wait. One of the best skills I have is patience. If they offer me to fight with Max Holloway in Spain, let’s do it. If not, I’m going to wait for my title shot. That’s all.”
“I showed it tonight that no one can match my level of skill inside the cage. I think everyone agrees with me,” he added.
One round is all it Takes
Topuria is brimming with confidence that he could take out anybody in the featherweight division, including the reigning champion, Volkanovski. In fact, “El Matador” claimed that he would knock “The Great” out within one round.
“I know that I can finish anyone in this division,” the 26-year-old boasted. “So, Josh was tough tonight, but I beat him pretty easy and it’s not going to be different with Alex. The result is going to be the same. I’m going to knock him out in the first round, second round. If not, I’m going to dominate him for five rounds, no problem.”
Topuria has never tasted a defeat in his professional MMA career. He has gone unbeaten in all of his six fights under the UFC banner and is likely to break into the featherweight division’s Top 5 following his win over No. 5 contender Emmett.
Topuria’s impressive run certainly makes a case for a title shot but he really needs to wait as Volk is set to face interim featherweight champ Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 next month. On the other hand, Holloway is already booked for a clash with Korean Zombie in August.
