Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. Photo via YouTube (UFC)
Reigning UFC featherweight champion Ilia “El Matador” Topuria rejects pretty much all of Max Holloway’s skills ahead of their title fight on October 26.
In a virtual face to face ESPN MMA YouTube channel, the champion took a swing at Holloway being called the best boxer in the UFC.
“Bro, that’s a shame. Don’t say that again! I recommend don’t say that again. Not head movement, not knockout power, not technique.”
Topuria also brought up the iconic knock-out of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. A moment, that will be in the UFC history books for a very good reason. The new champion, however, was not impressed by the five-round battle.
“The only thing [exciting] about that fight was the last 10 seconds, to be honest. I didn’t see any technique in that fight. I didn’t see any strategy, I didn’t see any f*ckig thing. I just saw a bar fight, to be honest.”
Do you agree with Topuria? Check out the KO below!
UFC 308: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway
UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway will take place on October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The fight card looks as following at the moment:*
Main card
Featherweight Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Max Holloway
Middleweight Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Featherweight Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige
Light Heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakić
Middleweight Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan
Preliminary card
Welterweight Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Lightweight Mateusz Rębecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai
Bantamweight Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos
Middleweight Abusupiyan Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira
Heavyweight Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Justin Tafa
Bantamweight Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo
Middleweight Ismail Naurdiev vs. Bruno Silva
Welterweight Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nursulton Ruziboev