As 2024 involves a detailed, there’s a little bit of uncertainty surrounding Ilia Topuria’s future. What’s fully sure, nevertheless, is that the reigning UFC featherweight champion had a one-of-a-kind yr contained in the octagon.
Who, within the historical past of the UFC, can declare to have knocked out two of their division’s three biggest fighters whereas they had been nonetheless of their primes, in back-to-back fights, in a single calendar yr? Topuria can.
For that cause, Topuria is MMA Junkie’s 2024 Male Fighter of the Yr.
UFC 298: Topuria’s opening act
The yr started with Topuria booked to problem then-featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski in February. Topuria, who on the time was an ideal 14-0, earned the title shot after successful his first six UFC fights and on the energy of a dominant unanimous determination towards Josh Emmett in his first UFC fundamental occasion. The title battle was a large alternative as Volkanovski had held gold since December 2019 and made 5 consecutive title defenses.
Volkanovski definitely had the expertise benefit, however that didn’t cease Topuria from speaking a giant recreation. Shades of Conor McGregor earlier than he fought Jose Aldo, Topuria even stole the belt from Volkanovski through the UFC 298 pre-fight press convention.
“I’m going to place his lights out,” Topuria mentioned heading into UFC 298. “… I think about myself a much more full and efficient finisher than Volkanovski. The expertise is on his aspect, however the younger blood is on my aspect. That is my second. God’s timing is ideal, and He’s ready me for this second. There gained’t be any failure.”
Ilia Topuria knocks out Alexander Volkanovski of their featherweight title battle throughout UFC 298 at Honda Heart in Anaheim, California. (Sean M. Haffey, Getty Photos)
Topuria was proper. And within the second spherical, his highly effective proper hand hit the mark and put Volkanovski to sleep for the knockout to make him Spain’s first UFC champion.
Topuria felt so emboldened after his win that he instantly turned his consideration to McGregor. Whereas that callout was a attain, large issues nonetheless lied forward for the brand new champ.
UFC 308: Topuria’s encore
After a whirlwind eight months that included doing the honorary kickoff earlier than a Actual Madrid FC recreation, assembly with Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and soccer star Leionel Messi, Topuria would enter his subsequent within the unfamiliar position as not simply defending UFC champion however a bonafide star.
Former champion Max Holloway was the problem, who would head into UFC 308 on a three-fight successful streak and because the promotions BMF champ following probably the most iconic knockouts of all time in a light-weight bout with Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.
For Topuria, merely defending his belt wouldn’t be sufficient. He wished to say one other first: the primary man to knock out Holloway in his illustrious profession. Which is why Topuria dared Holloway to deliver the identical vitality he had within the ultimate 10 seconds of the Gaethje by pointed to the middle of the canvas at the beginning of theirs.
“If he does it, even higher for me. Possibly I’m going to level to the bottom,” Topuria advised MMA Junkie earlier than UFC 308. “Possibly I’ll do all that as a result of I’m going to really feel so snug in that battle as a result of I’m telling you, each time I see him battle, I’m like, ‘Everybody goes to be stunned once I knock him out.’ As a result of I see him as such a simple matchup for me. If he thinks that I’m not proper, show me flawed. We’re going to be in the identical octagon Oct. 26. Show me flawed.”
Ilia Topuria punches Max Holloway at UFC 308. (MMA Junkie)
It was Topuria who proved himself proper at UFC 308, and within the third spherical he discovered the end by knocking Holloway with punches.
Afterward, Topuria solely wished there as one other belt on the road.
“I by no means perceive why they didn’t put the BMF title on the road,” Topuria advised reporters on the UFC 308 post-fight press convention. “It must be on the road for the reason that first day. However hey, don’t need to make it official? I’m going to make it official on my own. Now I’m the brand new ‘Baddest Motherf*ker’ world champion.”
What’s subsequent for Topuria?
With knockouts of two of the consensus three biggest featherweights of all time (apart from Jose Aldo) on his resume, it could be inconceivable for Topuria to prime 2024. Whereas Topuria has 145-pound challengers comparable to Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev in entrance of him, they’re nowhere close to the stature of Volkanovski and Holloway. Maybe that explains why Topuria just lately expressed a need to maneuver to light-weight.
No matter is in retailer for him in 2025, we’ll always remember that he had maybe the best pair of back-to-back wins by a fighter in 2024, which made him our alternative for Fighter of the Yr.
Honorable point out: Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira at UFC 300. (Imagn Photos)
In some other yr, Alex Pereira would’ve locked up Male Fighter of the Yr properly earlier than the yr was over.
In a span of six months from April to October, Pereira defended the UFC mild heavyweight championship with knockouts of Jamhal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree. And he did this below less-than-ideal circumstances as he repeatedly saved the promotion by accepting these title fights on quick discover.
If not for the unprecedented high quality of Topuria’s two victories, Pereira’s amount would’ve made him the clear alternative for Male Fighter of the Yr.
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