Unimpressed Ilia Topuria claims Max Holloway’s BMF fight was ‘nothing special’

Ilia Topuria extends fight proposal against Max Holloway as he describes his performance at UFC 300 as basic and unimpressive.

Unimpressed Ilia Topuria claims Max Holloway’s BMF fight was ‘nothing special’

Ilia Topuria on Max Holloway (Image via Imago)

Ilia Topuria is confident he can beat Max Holloway. The former featherweight champion just won the BMF title at UFC 300 and called out the reigning champion in his octagon interview. However, Topuria was not impressed by Holloway’s performance against Justin Gaethje and talked about a potential showdown with the BMF champion.

Ilia Topuria recently did an interview with ESPN Deportes’ Carlos Contreras Legaspi. There he talked about Holloway’s performance at UFC 300. 

Well, it was good. Nothing special to be honest. The ending was only an exchange of punches without any strategy. Both just throwing punches. Zero defense, hands down, and that kind of things can happen but that is something that would never happen with me because I think inside the octagon.
Ilia Topuria via ESPN
YouTube video

Topuria is happy Holloway won because he realized he would now have two belts instead of one. The featherweight champion said he hoped Holloway was not hurt so they can fight soon. Regarding all the trash-talking Holloway had directed toward him, Topuria said that it was nothing but to boost Holloway’s self-belief. ‘El Matador’ brought up his last fight where he knocked down Alexander Volkanovski in under no minutes and said it took Holloway 90 minutes to do the same.

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Topuria called Holloway’s style basic and an easy fight. He critiqued Holloway’s inability to counter while going back and under pressure. Flaunting his undefeated status, the featherweight champion warned the new BMF champion to get ready for what is coming next.

Max Holloway responds to Ilia Topuria’s callout on X

Topuria is not one to back out from a challenge. After Holloway’s statement, he went online and congratulated him for his win, simultaneously he extended a proposal for a showdown by the end of this year, guaranteeing that he will knock him out.

 Ilia Topuria swears to knock out Max Holloway when they fight
Ilia Topuria swears to knock out Max Holloway (via Imago)

With that Topuria added one of the most well-known verses of the New Testament, Philippians 4:13. Holloway retweeted this, accepting Topuria’s challenge with a Bible verse of his own, Jeremiah 51:20.

With this, an exciting atmosphere is brewing in the UFC’s featherweight division. Holloway was recently described by UFC CEO Dana White as the greatest featherweight of all time. Meanwhile, Topuria is seven fights into his UFC career and is yet to taste his first MMA defeat. It will be interesting to see the two go at it in the octagon.

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