Alexander Volkanovski: Ilia Topuria wouldn't submit Islam Makhachev, but he can knock him out
Alexander Volkanovski thinks UFC champion Ilia Topuria has the power to put anyone away – at featherweight and lightweight.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of Volkanovski and most recently Max Holloway in Saturday’s UFC 308 main event in Abu Dhabi. Topuria wants a shot at lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and is confident he can submit him.
Volkanovski isn’t sure about the submitting him part but definitely won’t rule out Topuria’s chance of catching Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) on the feet.
“Submission, I don’t see that happening,” Volkanovski said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Can he knock Islam out? Of course. He can knock anyone out in them two divisions (featherweight and lightweight). I’ve always said, and it’s going to be the same for Islam, the only way I see these guys like myself losing is getting caught. Who can catch these? It’s guys like Ilia that can do that.
“He could go out there and land, but going out there and beating Islam or even submitting him and controlling him, I think that is very, very unlikely. But definitely could catch him. Ilia can catch anyone in them two divisions, so you can never count out Ilia in them fights, but they are going to be tough fights. If he can’t knock them out, they’re tough fights for him. Very tough fights.”
Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) has been taking time off ever since losing his featherweight title to Topuria at UFC 298 in February. He appears to have gotten UFC CEO Dana White’s approval on an immediate rematch, but Topuria and his team are not keen on fighting at UFC 312 Feb. 8 in Sydney.
Both Volkanovski and Diego Lopes have openly said they would fight each other on that date for the interim title if Topuria opts against a relatively quick turnaround.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.