Ilia Topuria is out to prove his critics wrong, following his decision to move up in weight as he was deemed small for a 155er. Well, he looks like he’s preparing pretty well because in recent training footage he shared on Instagram, he looks like he’s packing some serious muscle ahead of his title fight against Charles Oliveira. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker seemed impressed with ‘El Matador’s transformation but seemed skeptical about one particular aspect of his bulking process.
Ilia Topuria’s return to the lightweight division is a big one, as he has a chance to become a two-division champion. And guess what? The Georgian-Spanish star intends to win the lightweight title in style and finish the fighter with the most finishes at UFC 317. There are quite a few people who believe Topuria’s got a chance, including Robert Whittaker. However, ‘The Reaper’ has his doubts.
Although Ilia Topuria looks bigger and more muscly, Robert Whittaker noticed that the former featherweight champion seemed a bit slower compared to his days as a 145er. The Australian is well aware of the powerful strikes that Topuria has, but he’s not sure if his transformation will help him beat Charles Oliveira. That’s because Whittaker believes ‘El Matador’ hasn’t really proven his credibility as a lightweight.
“I don’t know [about Ilia Topuria beating Charles Oliveira]. Too many unknowns with how he’s going to look moving up. I saw some footage of him boxing. He looks big. Like, he looks like he’s really filled out,” said Robert Whittaker on his MMArcade Podcast. “Doesn’t look as fast as he has, but I’m sure that’ll come up with him trimming up and getting close to the fight. The [previous weight] cuts were hard for Ilia, but he had whack in his punches… I don’t know. Too many unknowns.”
MMA: UFC Fight Night-Herbert vs Topuria, Mar 19, 2022 London, UK Ilia Topuria blue gloves defeats Jai Herbert red gloves during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports, 19.03.2022 21:33:51, 17930803, UFC Fight Night, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPerxHaljestamx 17930803
As Ilia Topuria bulks up for his 155-pound return, the oddsmakers have him as the favorite against Charles Oliveira even though Robert Whittaker has appeared skeptical. And while people are fixated on the power that Ilia Topuria has, a former UFC fighter has pointed out a weakness in ‘El Matador’. Here’s what he had to say.
Former UFC fighter highlights the weakness of Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria’s measured approach, which involves a lot of patience, coupled with his fighting prowess, has paid dividends in his MMA career. With 14 finishes out of his 16 career wins, he’s currently one of the best, and there is no doubt about it. But fellow undefeated fighter Muhammad Mokaev claims that there is one big hole in Topuria’s game, which is the lack of his kicking game, and that’s where Charles Oliveira could gain an advantage.
“You know, he doesn’t throw a lot of body kicks, head kicks. So it’s hard to take him down because he doesn’t throw about. He sits down, and he can control you if he keeps the distance,” Muhammad Mokaev stated during an interview with Chael Sonnen. “But if you pressure him, you can cause trouble to him. “Don’t let him pressure you. Control the distance. Because Ilia likes to sit down a little bit like Mike Tyson.”
Despite that, even Muhammad Mokaev believes that the fight is for Topuria to win. ‘El Matador’ may be heading into his second 155-pound matchup in the promotion at UFC 317, and there could be some fans leaning towards Charles Oliveira. But he has a win over a former rival, who has a win over ‘Do Bronx’, and that’s Max Holloway. So, which side are you on? Oliveira’s or Topuria’s? Drop your comments below.
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