“Someone’s Getting Knocked Out” – Charles Oliveira Predicted to See Brutal Outcome Against Ilia Topuria According to UFC Legend

UFC veteran believes the upcoming title fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira will end up with a knockout.

“Someone’s Getting Knocked Out” – Charles Oliveira Predicted to See Brutal Outcome Against Ilia Topuria According to UFC Legend

Demetrious Johnson shares his prediction for Charles Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria (via Imago)

The UFC lightweight division faced intense drama before Islam Makhachev ultimately vacated the belt, causing major shifts and speculation everywhere. Now, former champions Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria are officially scheduled to fight at the highly anticipated UFC 317 event this year. Heading into this matchup, the Georgian-Spanish striker is the betting favorite.

Topuria moved to lightweight earlier this year, citing weight-cutting complications as the main reason for changing his division. Before this transition, he had an incredible featherweight run, knocking out elite fighters like Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski decisively.

Because of Topuria’s knockout power, Demetrious Johnson shared his prediction for the Topuria vs. Oliveira fight during Tim Welch’s podcast episode. The prediction of the MMA legend presents something exciting to look forward to.

I’m gonna go with Ilia Topuria. I’m betting that Ilia is gonna hurt him, and when he hurts him, he’s gonna follow him to the ground and try to finish him like Islam did. At the end of the day, I’m going with Ilia Topuria, and I know someone’s getting knocked out. If nobody gets finished, I’ll be shocked.

Demetrious Johnson via Tim Welch’s YT Channel

Oliveira is notorious for getting dropped during fights but always recovers using his world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to regain control. He did the same against Dustin Poirier in their title fight, eventually securing a victory through a clinical submission finish. This ground threat made Justin Gaethje avoid grappling after dropping Oliveira, which led to him ultimately losing via a slick submission.

However, as Johnson said, Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 didn’t care about Oliveira’s BJJ and jumped into the guard and submitted the Brazilian. Though Topuria also possesses elite BJJ skills, his striking power alone might be enough to decide the fight with one punch. The former featherweight champion aims to extend his dominance and has already issued a stern warning to ‘Do Bronx.’

On the other hand, Oliveira recently dominated former Bellator champion Michael Chandler and enters this fight with tremendous confidence. The Brazilian veteran has boldly promised to end Topuria’s hype train by knocking him out and silencing his growing fanbase. This thrilling matchup between two of the best modern UFC fighters promises fireworks and intrigue for fans worldwide.

UFC GOAT talks about Ilia Topuria’s rise as a UFC superstar

Fans are loving Ilia Topuria more now because of his explosive fighting style, delivering highlight-reel knockouts in every big performance. His confidence and swagger outside the cage have also attracted massive attention, making him a magnetic presence during press conferences and interviews.

Additionally, his undefeated record and willingness to face top contenders have earned him deep respect from hardcore and casual fans alike. So far, he has stood on business, destroying everyone like he said he would do.

Ilia Topuria's dominance in question by UFC veteran
Ilia Topuria’s dominance in question by UFC veteran (via X)

Despite his limited time in the promotion, Topuria is currently one of the biggest superstars with huge pay-per-view potential. At the age of 28, the fighter can rule the UFC for many more years if he stays in top form. In a recent interview, Jon Jones was asked about this and the veteran shared his opinion in detail.

Time will tell. One thing that I know from experience, being in this sport for so long, is that it’s difficult to win the belt. It’s more difficult to live the lifestyle of a UFC champion and continue being a UFC champion. The fame, the press, the money, the girls, the alcohol all of it doubles down on you, and very few people can handle it.

Jon Jones said of Ilia Topuria

Jones has stayed on top for years, facing three different generations and always committing to detailed preparation and strategy. He never accepted short-notice fights, instead watching hours of opponent footage before confidently stepping into the octagon every single time. Topuria dreams of becoming the UFC’s first triple champion, but achieving that goal requires overcoming an incredibly difficult journey.

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