Recent training footage featuring Ilia Topuria has garnered a strong, unified reaction from UFC enthusiasts.
The fighter, who holds both Georgian and Spanish nationality, is scheduled to face Charles Oliveira within days for the vacant lightweight championship title at UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
Topuria, at 28 years old, is aiming to become only the tenth fighter in the history of MMA`s premier promotion to hold titles in two different divisions simultaneously or consecutively.
Operating under the moniker `El Matador,` he appears to be in remarkably sharp form leading up to Sunday morning`s highly anticipated showdown in `Sin City`.
Footage capturing Topuria`s recent open workout session circulated widely across social media platforms over the previous weekend.
Upon witnessing Topuria`s apparent ease in dismantling the training pads, a significant number of MMA fans couldn`t help but vocalize their apprehension regarding the prospects for former 155lbs champion, Oliveira.
One commentator on platform X remarked, “Ilia Topuria hits incredibly hard.”
Another shared their prediction, stating, “Charles is going to be completely overwhelmed in this fight.”
A further online comment suggested with concern, “If he lands a liver shot, Charles will be in serious pain for a while.”
Offering a note of sympathy, one person commented, “Poor Charles. Two rounds maximum, I`d say.”
An additional observation highlighted an impressive physical trait: “I genuinely don`t think I`ve ever seen such power concentrated in such a relatively small frame.”
They also pointed out a crucial, less obvious aspect of his game: “What a lot of people don`t fully appreciate is how effective this guy is at managing his energy levels during a fight.”
“He demonstrates impeccable control over his stamina, which is often where many other fighters struggle and ultimately fail.”
Concluding their thoughts on his potential, they added enthusiastically, “I`m definitely wagering a bit of money on this guy to clinch the victory! He`s truly an impressive athlete.”
Earlier this year, Topuria, who had previously secured and defended the featherweight title against opponents such as Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, reportedly vacated that belt with the explicit goal of pursuing championship status in the lightweight division.
He has publicly stated his intention to become a champion across two weight classes, and plans to do so with a decisive and impactful performance.
Addressing his upcoming opponent, Topuria commented, “Charles is undoubtedly a superb fighter.”
He elaborated, “I would even go as far as to label him a legendary fighter, standing as one of the few competitors of that esteemed caliber still actively participating in the UFC.”
However, Topuria expressed significant confidence in his own chances, asserting, “But the honest truth is, his specific fighting style presents a perfect scenario for me to achieve a first-round knockout and put him to sleep.”
He further explained the reasoning behind his confident prediction, stating simply, “This is primarily because he lacks dynamic movement; he fundamentally does not move around much in the octagon.”
Percy Harlow