The UFC featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, needs fresh contenders. Although he will soon fight Yair Rodriguez, the rest of the division remained unclear. However, rising contender Ilia Topuria has firmly solidified his spot in line with his recent win over Josh Emmett.
With Emmett fresh off a loss in the interim title fight against Rodriguez, he looked to rebound against a streaking Topuria. However, many felt that he did not have the skills to keep up with the young prospect. And they were right. Josh Emmett showed tremendous heart and determination to last the distance. However, Topuria put on a masterclass. He dropped Emmett numerous times. His kicking game crippled Emmett’s calf and Ilia secured key takedowns to cap off a fantastic showing.
Image – ESPN
Topuria has already put together an impressive resume, including a submission win over Bryce Mitchell, a highly skilled grappler himself. However, his win against Josh answers many important questions about his capability in a title fight. Topuria remained composed and defensively sound for five full rounds against a dangerous knockout artist. He cleanly outboxed Emmett, landing crisp counters and combinations. Topuria also showed off an impressively well-rounded skillset. He even remained unfazed when Emmett landed the occasional bomb. He will need all these skills and then some to stand a chance against Volkanovski.
Image – Forbes Betting
Assuming Volkanovski gets past Rodriguez, Topuria has a strong case as the next challenger. At most, he should be one more win away. The question remains whether he can keep up with Volkanovski’s output and technical acumen. However, he has nonetheless become a major player in the UFC’s 145 pound division.
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