No version of Volk beats Topuria

[Vagabound]

Topuria is a better:
Striker;
Wrestler:
Grappler

He also punches much harder and has more ways to finish the fight. If they rematch, Volk probably gets herded towards the cage again and slept or submitted. Even prime Volk can't match Ilia's skillset.

 

[Larzon]

Zzzzz

 

[Local Plata]

Cool story, bro.

 

[UFCIsNOTRigged]

Topuria is a better:
Striker;
Wrestler:
Grappler

He also punches much harder and has more ways to finish the fight. If they rematch, Volk probably gets herded towards the cage again and slept or submitted. Even prime Volk can't match Ilia's skillset.

Topuria is definitely a significantly more dangerous striker than Volkanovski but he has not yet proven to be a better striker (diversity of strikes, striking mechanics, striking iq).

From the one and a half rounds they fought, admittedly a small sample size, it was pretty clear imo that Volkanovski was the better striker. Volkanovski was busting up the nose of Ilia with his jab and using his footwork to cause big misses out of Ilia (he only landed 16% of the head shots he attempted in R1).

Ilia is definitely the better grappler but the wrestling is negligible.

 

[markantony20]

Maybe, personally I feel that the Volk that beat Max the 3rd time could win.

 

[usernamee]

Topuria is definitely a significantly more dangerous striker than Volkanovski but he has not yet proven to be a better striker (diversity of strikes, striking mechanics, striking iq).

From the one and a half rounds they fought, admittedly a small sample size, it was pretty clear imo that Volkanovski was the better striker. Volkanovski was busting up the nose of Ilia with his jab and using his footwork to cause big misses out of Ilia (he only landed 16% of the head shots he attempted in R1).

Ilia is definitely the better grappler but the wrestling is negligible.

Reminiscent of Izzy's fights with Poatan. Izzy getting ahead with his work but Poatan just needs one.

 

[MMonk]

Topuria is a better:
Striker;
Wrestler:
Grappler

He also punches much harder and has more ways to finish the fight. If they rematch, Volk probably gets herded towards the cage again and slept or submitted. Even prime Volk can't match Ilia's skillset.

So you think Topuria could wrestle\grapple successfully with Mahkachev for 5 rounds?

 

[Lee Danger]

Topuria is definitely a significantly more dangerous striker than Volkanovski but he has not yet proven to be a better striker

it happened less than 48 hours ago.

Reminiscent of Izzy's fights with Poatan. Izzy getting ahead with his work but Poatan just needs one.

true, Topuria was waiting for the openings all the time, calm, collected and sharp, dodging a lot of strikes and always been in volk's face.
when a fight goes that way to me is always like that one tries everything in his toolbox to keep distance and if he fails he gets koed.

 

[gosuasus]

There is not a single featherweight in the UFC that has been properly tested against full variety of MMA styles, not even vets like Max Holloway—he didn't face Khabib style wrestling machine (2019 Edgar was old and Lamas is more of a BJJ guy).

The first time someone boxed up Volkanovski against the fence he crumbled. The time he faced head-kicing southpaw wrestler (Makhachev), he got kicked on the open side.

I think Dana's matchmaking strategy has attributed to a lot of this.

 

[Noraaq]

Yea, its just a bad stylistic match up for Volk.

 

[barillas]

I like Volk but I agree with you, just like no version of Aldo would beat Conor

 

[duke_droese]

Is Ilia a good wrestler? Good wrestler to me is khabib crew level or arman/merab.

All I see is that he did greco as a kid in georgia but then moved to spain and became a BJJcel at 15.

 

[piropiro]

Topuria has one way to win: a big punch. He capitalized on it perfectly yesterday, so congratulations to him.

But overall striking wise, Volk was easily busting him up with volume. Wrestling, I doubt he’s stronger than Volk, who could hold his own against the heavier wrestling phenom Islam. Submissions, well noone has ever submitted Volk, he’s basically impossible to choke or tap, as we’ve seen more than once from BJJ experts.

So Topuria might KO him again in the inevitable rematch, but I doubt he has other roads to victory.

IMO if they theoretically fought multiple times, it would be 80% dominant decisions for Volk, 20% flatline KOs for Topuria.

 

[World eater]

Next time also post the betting slip, since that kind of insight and certainty obviously nets you bags of cash.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

Some of you are absolutely insufferable.

 

[drbolony]

Tell me what aspects of Ilias boxing are better than Volks striking? Don't just tell me about the result, break it down for me. I think Volk has been making bad (perceived) decisions with his career the last year because he is aware of his own physical decline, which was only accelerated by jumping into another fight after a bad KO. Volks vision and reactions just weren't there. He really was fighting like an old man when you compare it to his performances from pre-Islam. Max 3 was a masterpiece.

Ilia loads up and is basic. He's dangerous because he's powerful and he has educated pressure. That said he's not great on the outside. He's dangerous at infighting because of his power, but he isn't some elite pretty boxer that picks guys apart and sets them up. He crowds you and unleashes.

I don't want to completely shit on Ilia because he is a great MMA striker and boxer, especially for his stage in the game. That said, a lot of you are acting like he's the GOAT MMA boxer because he caught Volk. I would honestly pick Max to pick him apart and like this fight a lot more for him than the Gaethje fight.

 

[Ropeee]

Topuria has one way to win: a big punch. He capitalized on it perfectly yesterday, so congratulations to him.

But overall striking wise, Volk was easily busting him up with volume. Wrestling, I doubt he’s stronger than Volk, who could hold his own against the heavier wrestling phenom Islam. Submissions, well noone has ever submitted Volk, he’s basically impossible to choke or tap, as we’ve seen more than once from BJJ experts.

So Topuria might KO him again in the inevitable rematch, but I doubt he has other roads to victory.

IMO if they theoretically fought multiple times, it would be 80% dominant decisions for Volk, 20% flatline KOs for Topuria.

Illia landed better shoots in the first and everytime he got closer and closer with the counters he found his timing and koed him instantly

And you are delusional if you think Volkswagen can beat Illia

 

[moreorless87]

Topuria is definitely a significantly more dangerous striker than Volkanovski but he has not yet proven to be a better striker (diversity of strikes, striking mechanics, striking iq).

From the one and a half rounds they fought, admittedly a small sample size, it was pretty clear imo that Volkanovski was the better striker. Volkanovski was busting up the nose of Ilia with his jab and using his footwork to cause big misses out of Ilia (he only landed 16% of the head shots he attempted in R1).

Ilia is definitely the better grappler but the wrestling is negligible.

The guy who was KOed is "clearly the better striker"?

Volk was throwing very weak jabs and lowkicks mostly, Topuria was obviously looking to try and set up a big shot and then he did.

 

[piropiro]

Illia landed better shoots in the first and everytime he got closer and closer with the counters he found his timing and koed him instantly

And you are delusional if you think Volkswagen can beat Illia

I think Volk can easily decision Topuria, IF he stays defensively very disciplined.

I also think that at the top almost everyone can beat everyone else, if things go their way. You zig instead of zag and that’s it … combat sports are the cruelest in that level of sudden finality.

 

[Ropeee]

Tell me what aspects of Ilias boxing are better than Volks striking? Don't just tell me about the result, break it down for me. I think Volk has been making bad (perceived) decisions with his career the last year because he is aware of his own physical decline, which was only accelerated by jumping into another fight after a bad KO. Volks vision and reactions just weren't there. He really was fighting like an old man when you compare it to his performances from pre-Islam. Max 3 was a masterpiece.

Ilia loads up and is basic. He's dangerous because he's powerful and he has educated pressure. That said he's not great on the outside. He's dangerous at infighting because of his power, but he isn't some elite pretty boxer that picks guys apart and sets them up. He crowds you and unleashes.

I don't want to completely shit on Ilia because he is a great MMA striker and boxer, especially for his stage in the game. That said, a lot of you are acting like he's the GOAT MMA boxer because he caught Volk. I would honestly pick Max to pick him apart and like this fight a lot more for him than the Gaethje fight.

You need to get gun and rock yourself if you are questioning Illias boxing

And his head movement,angles,defense, combos,body work, perfect fundamentals, footwork make him great in the pocket seriously dude

as Roger Mayweather said most people don't know shit about boxing