Whilst featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is a slight betting favorite over Max Holloway, the global MMA community is decidedly split on who they think will leave UFC 308 with the world title over their shoulder.
If there’s anyone who knows what these two athletes bring to the table, it’s the former champion and pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski.
Alexander Volkanovski offers his prediction for UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway
Given how Alexander Volkanovski is currently up 3-0 to Max Holloway, but 1-0 down to Ilia Topuria; you might expect the Aussie to side with the man who knocked him out in his last fight, but he’s actually siding with ‘Blessed’ to re-capture gold out in Abu Dhabi.
Breaking down this weekend’s highly anticipated title fight via the MainEvent YouTube channel, Volkanovski would acknowledge that even though Topuria does present a dangerous challenge, Holloway is prepared for anything that ‘El Matador’ throws his way.
“He’s a heavy puncher, he does have good grappling, but I do think that Max’s takedown defense is going to be too much – if he does try to take him down, I don’t think he’ll have any success.”
As per the UFC stats page, Ilia Topuria averages 1.92 takedowns per 15 minutes with a 56% takedown accuracy – on the flip side, Max Holloway retains a stunning 85% takedown defense.
“I do think it’ll be on the hands,” predicted Volkanovski as he noted how Holloway “knows that he can’t just sit in the pocket with someone like Ilia Topuria,” who has scored a knockdown in all four of his previous four fights.
“I think he’ll be able to outwork him from the outside and [going] five rounds with Max Holloway isn’t easy – especially if you’re a pop and rocker looking for that power [shot]… Look, he might catch him, but I think it’s going to be a long and hard night for Topuria and that’s not me knocking the guy, it’s just I’ve fought Max three times, and I know how good the guy is.”
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Volkanovski has three decision wins over the veteran Hawaiian and having shared the octagon for a whopping 75 minutes; believes all that experience will pay dividends at UFC 308 on October 26.
“You need to be prepared for five rounds of war every single time because he’s coming and [even if] you’re going to crack him hard, he’s going to keep coming… Even when things aren’t going his way, that third fight I had with him, nothing was going his way, but he did not come off task… I think he’s going to be just a little bit too much.”
Ilia Topuria fires back at Alexander Volkanovski for his ‘strange’ prediction
Unsurprisingly, the Australian’s prediction for ‘Blessed’ victory out in Abu Dhabi hasn’t gone down too well with the current featherweight champion, who took aim at his former opponent in an interview with Álvaro Colmenero of ABC Spain.
“I’ve seen the latest statements he’s been making about my first with Max Holloway, he thinks that Max Holloway is going to beat me, [but] I don’t think he really believes that” claimed Topuria before questioning Volkanovski’s motive.
“It’s what he wants [to happen] because it’s much easier to do a rematch with a guy you have beaten three times than with the one who knocked you out in seven minutes, obviously, because he is a bit of a scoundrel.
“If I dominated you, if I knocked you out, how are you going to say a guy that beat you three times is going to beat me? I don’t really understand it.
Volkanovski is expected to be next in line for the title shot and has recently confirmed his plan is to return on the UFC 312 card in Australia next February – Topuria warns that ‘The Great’ could still be overlooked.
“Will he be the next one to face me, I don’t know honestly – it depends on how things develop within the division. Maybe it’s Diego Lopes, maybe the next fight is against Diego Lopes, who knows.”
Ilia Topuria vs Alexander Volkanovski goes down live this weekend from Abu Dhabi.