Featherweight Ilia Topuria is less than two weeks out from his maiden defense against Max Holloway in the UFC 308 headliner. Diego Lopes is the official backup for the pay-per-view top bill in Abu Dhabi. However, Topuria and Holloway are already on the rumor mills to face former kingpin Alexander Volkanovski next. Competition veteran and analyst Chael Sonnen thinks Ilia Topuria vs. Volk 2 should not happen.
No. 3 on the UFC official rankings, Team Lobo Gym MMA’s Lopes found himself vying for a promised title shot after this year’s Noche PPV. However, former champ and top UFC pound-for-pound just a while ago, Volkanovski, is also a natural choice for a title contender. Topuria defeated Volk at the UFC 298 pay-per-view for the 145-pound gold this February.
What I’m sharing with you guys is that if you’ve Ilia Topuria off a knockout over Max, then it’s going to be a very big deal…Do you want to draw him into a rematch [Volk]? …Historically speaking — when you have a massive star, do you draw them in rematches against an older veteran? There’s a rule in fighting, guys: If a younger fighter beats an older fighter, and they rematch, the younger fighter will beat him again, only faster.
Chael Sonnen via his Official YouTube channel (@ChaelSonnenOfficial)
‘The American Gangster’ supplements that ex-bantamweight champ and apparent needle mover Sean O’Malley will be out for nearly a year due to hip surgery. Sonnen has already been itching to say Conor McGregor won’t fight again.
So if he gets past BMF winner Holloway, Topuria will be the next big superstar. Sonnen is willing to hedge all his big bucks on a DraftKings sponsorship to assure older veterans (Volk) do not fare well against such superstars.
Chael Sonnen even gave the example of Tema Longo-Weidman MMA’s Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva 2 at UFC 168. Weidman won both their encounters. While not about age momentum, McGregor also dropped his last two to a year younger Dustin Poirier.
It’s especially applicable to older veterans. Even Topuria has warned off Volkanovski after two quick camps and vicious KO title skids. However, there’s one guy who does not back the Spaniard even going to that stage.
Conor McGregor wishes Max Holloway luck against Ilia Topuria at UFC 308
If the enemy of the enemy is the friend was ever a coke-fueled, free agency hunting impatient person, it’d have a name. That’d surely be Conor McGregor with some warring words for Ilia Topuria. That Alicante-Georgian was once eyeing a “Connie Comeback” and big money fight. Given McGregor had trodded both 145/155 title lines, it was possible. But after his UFC 303 pay-per-view injury pullout, Topuria has nonchalantly dismissed that option.
From wanting to follow the ‘Mac’ crossover blueprint to mimicking him at pressers, Topuria has done it all. But now, after multiple disses, things have turned more than sour. Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) threatened to lay hands on McGregor should they meet. McGregor did visit Marbella for the BKFC on DAZN: Spain weigh-ins and fight night, but they never met. ‘The Notorious’ went off rails to support Max Holloway instead, for UFC 308, while at the event.
Fu*k him… Fu*k him. This isn’t [Topuria’s] home country, …This is my home country, baby. Marbella, Spain, where is he at? This ain’t his home country. He knows where his home country is, and it’s not España. So good luck, Max Holloway. Fu*k him up!
Conor McGregor with Jamal Niaz (@JNMEDIAUK) at BKFC on DAZN: Spain weigh-ins; H/T: SBNation Network
The Irishman is yet to return from his 2021 TKO loss and leg break. Meanwhile, he has maintained his signature friendly fire and coke-fueled callouts to many. One of those is a passive rivalry with Holloway. The duo faced each other on UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen and know what each of them is capable of.
