Ilia Topuria is confident that his UFC 299 match against Alexander Volkanovski will be flawless and lead to a first-round knockout victory. Although the fighter knows that his opponent has more experience, Topuria is positive that his youth will bring more advantages.
Topuria will be challenging Volkanovski for the featherweight belt on February 17. The champ will be coming back in the cage after a lightweight loss to pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev last October. The loss started speculations that “The Great” is now losing his brilliance, with some stressing that his quick turnaround could worsen his chance of winning his next fight. Topuria doesn’t think these details could affect the opponent’s performance in the cage, but he believes his young energy could be Volkanovski’s ultimate weakness.
“I’m part of the new generation of MMA,” Topuria told UFCEspanol in Spanish. “I bring an evolved style in all areas of the sport: on the feet, in the wrestling, in the grappling. I consider myself a far more complete and effective finisher than Volkanovski.
“The experience is on his side, but the young blood is on my side. This is my moment. God’s timing is perfect, and He’s prepared me for this moment. There won’t be any failure.”
According to Topuria, his team made the necessary preparations to equip him for his fight. In line with this, “El Matador” is certain to deliver a first-round knockout in the match.
“I see myself finishing him in the first round – knockout,” Topuria told UFC Español. “It’s most likely going to be a knockout unless he dives for my legs. I’m going to put his lights out.”
