November 1, 2024 2:40 pm ET
Eddie Alvarez gave perception on simply how a lot energy UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria packs.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) retained his featherweight title by becoming the first fighter to knock out Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) within the UFC 308 principal occasion. He has now knocked out former champions Alexander Volkanovski and Holloway back-to-back.
Alvarez recounted listening to that Topuria took out quite a few fighters when coaching at Kill Cliff FC in Florida. The previous UFC light-weight champion additionally stated Topuria managed to point out off his grappling.
“I heard by way of my Kill Cliff buddies that he went over there and knocked out three guys in coaching in a coaching camp,” Alvarez stated in an interview with Tim Welch. “And the Dagestanis couldn’t take him down, and he was taking them down. I overhear issues in coaching, and I’m extra involved with the coaching than I’m the struggle, as a result of within the struggle you solely get slightly little bit of time to show what you’ve received.
“However in coaching whenever you’re relaxed and doing this stuff constantly, to listen to he went right down to Kill Cliff and knocked out three of his coaching companions and was willingly taking down the Dagestani guys – what holes are we coping with? He simply handled the amount and the endurance of Max Holloway. If I’m listening to he’s actually tough to take down, his jiu-jitsu – he began his profession simply subbing guys, so this man is a weapon throughout.” Topuria’s profession began off with eight-straight submission wins, earlier than he knocked out his first opponent in November 2019. He has now knocked out 5 of his previous eight opponents.
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