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Challenging featherweight champion
Topuria is scheduled to face Alexander Volkanovski on Feb. 17 in Anaheim at UFC 298 in a bout for the UFC Featherweight Championship, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Topuria entered the UFC with Volkanovski as featherweight champion and did not disappoint. The former has won each of his six fights since then, the latest being a decisive five-rounder against interim title challenger Josh Emmett. Volkanovski remained great during Topuria's rise, fending off all featherweight challengers and even challenging for lightweight gold recently. What the Georgian may lack in big fights, he makes up for with his decisive wins, youth and less damage. After all, the 35-year-old Volkanovski will be fighting Topuria just four months after getting knocked out by a head kick courtesy of Islam Makhachev.
Topuria entered the UFC with Volkanovski as featherweight champion and did not disappoint. The former has won each of his six fights since then, the latest being a decisive five-rounder against interim title challenger Josh Emmett. Volkanovski remained great during Topuria's rise, fending off all featherweight challengers and even challenging for lightweight gold recently. What the Georgian may lack in big fights, he makes up for with his decisive wins, youth and less damage. After all, the 35-year-old Volkanovski will be fighting Topuria just four months after getting knocked out by a head kick courtesy of Islam Makhachev.
Rise to top continues
Topuria defeated Josh Emmett via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-42, 49-45) at UFC on ABC 5 on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.
ANALYSIS
The only negative thing that can be said about Topuria's performance was that he wasn't able to earn the stoppage. Of course, that was the result of the superhuman toughness of Emmett, as most any other mere mortal would have been done far earlier in the fight. Ilia appeared calm and composed in the biggest fight of his career to date. Facing an opponent with excellent power, he defended well and finished the fight with a 171-89 edge in total strikes landed. Topuria closed the show -- and Emmett's remarkable comeback attempt -- by landing all three of his Round 5 takedown attempts. It was an all-around dominant performance by one of the best young fighters in the sport today. The 26-year-old has now won each of his first half-dozen UFC bouts and hasn't been tested yet. There's a non-zero chance Topuria's next fight could come for the UFC Featherweight Championship, but it's more likely he will need one more big victory before getting his shot at the belt. In the meantime, he'll walk away with an extra $50,000 here after the main event was given Fight of the Night honors.
The only negative thing that can be said about Topuria's performance was that he wasn't able to earn the stoppage. Of course, that was the result of the superhuman toughness of Emmett, as most any other mere mortal would have been done far earlier in the fight. Ilia appeared calm and composed in the biggest fight of his career to date. Facing an opponent with excellent power, he defended well and finished the fight with a 171-89 edge in total strikes landed. Topuria closed the show -- and Emmett's remarkable comeback attempt -- by landing all three of his Round 5 takedown attempts. It was an all-around dominant performance by one of the best young fighters in the sport today. The 26-year-old has now won each of his first half-dozen UFC bouts and hasn't been tested yet. There's a non-zero chance Topuria's next fight could come for the UFC Featherweight Championship, but it's more likely he will need one more big victory before getting his shot at the belt. In the meantime, he'll walk away with an extra $50,000 here after the main event was given Fight of the Night honors.
Emmett fight re-scheduled
Topuria will fight Josh Emmett in a featherweight bout at UFC on ABC 5 on June 24 in Jacksonville, according to MMAJunkie.com.
ANALYSIS
Initially scheduled for June 17, Topuria and Emmett's fight will be delayed a week before it happens at Jacksonville instead. Nothing has changed other than the date and location.
Initially scheduled for June 17, Topuria and Emmett's fight will be delayed a week before it happens at Jacksonville instead. Nothing has changed other than the date and location.
Set to fight June 17
Topuria will face Josh Emmett (undisclosed) in a featherweight bout at UFC event June 17, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
June 17 will account for Topuria's first UFC main event, as he's slated to square off against the recent featherweight title challenger Josh Emmett in a matter of months. While Topuria is currently undefeated through 13 fights, he'll surely have his work cut out for him against the fifth-ranked Emmett who holds an 18-3 record.
June 17 will account for Topuria's first UFC main event, as he's slated to square off against the recent featherweight title challenger Josh Emmett in a matter of months. While Topuria is currently undefeated through 13 fights, he'll surely have his work cut out for him against the fifth-ranked Emmett who holds an 18-3 record.
Statement win over Bryce Mitchell
Topuria defeated Bryce Mitchell via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:10 of Round 2 at UFC 282 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
Topuria is going to fly up the rankings at 145 pounds, and he deserves it. In a battle of two of the top prospects in the featherweight division, Ilia managed to stuff the vast majority (9-of-10) of Mitchell's takedown attempts before unloading on his opponent on the feet. Outside of spending a handful of seconds on his back late in Round 1, Ilia was in control the entire way. Topuria has a boatload of power, is a solid wrestler, and as we saw here, is a huge threat on the mat. There's legitimate long-term, high-end staying power here. Undefeated as a professional (13-0), including a perfect 5-0 in the UFC, the soon-to-be 26-year-old Topuria is going to get title-implicating fights at 145 pounds sooner rather than later. He's that good. He'll also take home a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts here.
Topuria is going to fly up the rankings at 145 pounds, and he deserves it. In a battle of two of the top prospects in the featherweight division, Ilia managed to stuff the vast majority (9-of-10) of Mitchell's takedown attempts before unloading on his opponent on the feet. Outside of spending a handful of seconds on his back late in Round 1, Ilia was in control the entire way. Topuria has a boatload of power, is a solid wrestler, and as we saw here, is a huge threat on the mat. There's legitimate long-term, high-end staying power here. Undefeated as a professional (13-0), including a perfect 5-0 in the UFC, the soon-to-be 26-year-old Topuria is going to get title-implicating fights at 145 pounds sooner rather than later. He's that good. He'll also take home a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts here.