MMA fans are in for an absolute treat at UFC 308 when undefeated KO artist and featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, takes on ‘the best boxer in the UFC’ and former ruler of the 145lb division, Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.
With just one week to go, the intensity surrounding the main event of UFC 308 is reaching boiling point, especially now that Ilia Topuria has sent a fiery message to those fighters who act cordial in person; but secretly pick ‘Blessed’ to beat him out in Abu Dhabi.
Ilia Topuria sends furious message to UFC fighters picking Holloway to win
Ever since the featherweight title fight was first announced for UFC 308, ‘El Matador’ has remained incredibly confident that he’ll score a devastating first-round knockout and deliver Max Holloway the first KO loss of his professional career.
“I don’t think, I know that it’s going to be in the first round,” Topuria explained on the latest installment of The Ariel Helwani Show, claiming that Holloway is simply “not on my level” when it comes to the stand-up.
Yet the opportunity to land a knockout shot could come much sooner than many expect, should if the pair follow through on their promises to meet in the middle and throw down in the opening exchange.
“I’m going to point at the ground, and we’ll see what he’s going to do, I will be in the middle of the octagon so let’s bang, bro – If you’re ready, I was born ready.
“First 10 seconds, I’m going to point to the middle of the octagon, and I will stay there. I want to give the best and most exciting 10 seconds in UFC history to the fans, they deserve it.”
Should Holloway repeat his iconic gesture from UFC 300, Topuria guarantees that he’ll “knock him out and take his head off” in short order, as he then took aim at those fellow UFC fighters who are picking against him.
“We’re going to find out if he’s a BMF or if he’s a p**** like everyone who is predicting that I’m going to lose to Max Holloway… I watch all the predictions from UFC fighters, they are all predicting that he’s going to beat me; all the bums, f*** you everyone.
“I’m going to knock him out, [and after] don’t even tell me ‘Hello’ if you see me around… Go f*** yourselves, everyone.”
Whilst Topuria refused to offer up any names, he did send an ominous warning not to act friendly around him, should he spot that they’ve previously predicted a ‘Blessed’ victory.
“I don’t even want to tell you their names, f*** them all… I’m taking notes, they’re all like snakes in the grass because when they see you around, they act like fans but when they have to do something ‘Oh Max is going to beat him’ – maybe they feel a little bit of envy.”
Ilia Topuria claims Holloway had secretly asked to fight ‘Iron’ instead
Later in the interview, Topuria would claim that Max Holloway did not actually want to face him at UFC 308 and that he’d secretly requested to remain active in the lightweight division.
“He was avoiding the fight [with] me all the time, he said something like ‘I said to the UFC I want the easiest fight, I want to fight Ilia Topuria’ – that’s a lie, a challenger never chooses fights, never.
“I’m the champion and I chose who I want to fight next,” stated the Spanish-Georgian KO artist, before accusing Holloway of trying to duck him in order to face Michael Chandler instead.
“I said ‘I want to fight Max Holloway’ and they told me that he was asking to stay in the 155lb division to fight Michael Chandler… I don’t know if he asked about many other guys, but they told him ‘No Max, you have to fight Ilia because he wants to fight you’ so finally they had to accept it.”
In truth, it doesn’t matter if “he was trying really hard to avoid me,” as the pair will finally settle the score in the dunes of Abu Dhabi next weekend; UFC 308 goes down October 26 live from the United Arab Emirates.
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