Michael Jordan’s killer mentality brutally mocked by UFC champ Ilia Topuria

Undefeated Ilia Topuria douses hard confidence, and shoots down Michael Jordan philosophy of getting amped.

Michael Jordan’s killer mentality brutally mocked by UFC champ Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria dumbs down Michael Jordan philosophy before UFC lightweight move (Source: X/IMAGO)

Ilia Topuria has been the top ticket of audacious claims coming true in his UFC tenure. The soon-to-be former UFC 145-pound champ has had a can-do attitude. It resulted in the destruction of a former pound-for-pound-divisional kingpin and a hard-chin gritty Hawaiian. Topuria’s vagrant mentality to be able to do it put him on a crossroads with icon Michael Jordan as well.

With 10 All-NBA First Team designations and MVP awards and such, Michael Jordan was an icon of the game. His ‘control what you can’ and do-it-all offensive confidence inspires even now. ‘PBD’ Podcast host Patrick Bet-David recently told Ilia Topuria how Jordan would create an emotional driver by pretending someone said something harsh about him. The Spaniard dumbed down the idea as dissimilar to the fighting game.

Yeah, but…at the…At the end of the day, he was playing basketball. And I have enough of that energy that I wanna – I wanna go win and take his head off…

Ilia Topuria on ‘PBD’ Podcast (🎥: @PBDsPodcast)
YouTube video

Unlike the Michael Jordan analogy, Topuria has said it and delivered on it in the calmest of states. In his maiden defense, analyst and PPV fighter-check in mediator Daniel Cormier warned him off challenger Max Holloway’s boxing and reach. However, the featherweight said he knew all that Holloway was capable of, and hence wanted to make this matchup to knock him out; he did.

Additionally, Topuria also knocked Aussie legend Alexander Volkanovski clean within the first two frames to win gold. Now, ‘La Leyenda’ is vacating his belt to try his luck at lightweight. It is a move that the likes of Cormier and others feel baffled about. However, Topuria’s breed of can-do attitude is just different, something that has made him make other bold claims as well.

Pro boxing move teased by UFC’s Ilia Topuria

Holloway was a hard challenge, but Ilia Topuria did overcome that with much function at the UFC 308 PPV main event. His systematic win against a 69″ reach ‘Blessed’ drew quite the attention. Even UFC 308 PPV post-fight panel analyst Dustin Poirier told his ESPN desk co-hosts that he was the current best boxer.

UFC's Ilia Topuria douses hard challenge on boxers
UFC’s Ilia Topuria douses hard challenge on boxers (Source: X)

But Ilia Topuria did not just stop there. He and Club Climent (Spain) have also teased his grappling is untested. Topuria even boasted that he could defeat longtime reigning 155-pound champ Islam Makhachev and went shooting for gold. It is thus very safe to say that the Spanish-Georgian fighter has no lack of confidence.

Now, though, Topuria has made callously bold claims about trying his luck elsewhere, not just confidence in his ground game. He recently teased that he could take on any pro boxer with just half a year of camp prep.

If I prepare for six months, only boxing, …I don’t do any wrestling, only boxing. Bro, put me whoever you want in front of me. Whoever. I hear a lot of boxers talking like ‘Ilia he has good boxing for MMA, but he has nothing for me in the ring.’ Listen, you don’t have anything to do with me outside, inside, whatever you want — That’s part of my life. I spar with pro boxers… I can box with anyone, just give me six months.

Ilia Topuria further said on ‘PBD’ Podcast (🎥: @PBDsPodcast)

The newly-minted ‘La Leyenda‘ has already made it known that he isn’t afraid of copycat claims from the MMA fandom or peers. To that end, he wants to be yet another name to cross over into boxing someday after his UFC run.

UFC CEO Dana White has already (vigorously) discouraged UFC fighters from indulging in thoughts about the new TKO-powered boxing league. But given how Topuria keeps to his claims, ‘Legend’ might be on the tab for it someday.

Related: Ilia Topuria gets Dustin Poirier co-sign for dream fight despite Islam Makhachev rejection