Jon Anik believes that the new UFC lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, is unique in its class.
The UFC commentator It has been impressed by what Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) has achieved within the octagon. The Hispanic-Georgian star predicted a knockout in the first assault of former UFC champion Charles Oliveira before UFC 317 last weekend, and then fulfilled, becoming the First fighter in the history of UFC to win titles in two different weight categories without knowing the defeat.
Although “the matador” is not the first man to win gold in two divisions, Anik believes that The way he has done so distinguishes him from the rest.
«It's crazy, it doesn't look like anything that you have seen before»Anik said this week during an interview with MMA Fighting. «I know that sometimes they criticize me for sounding too hyperbolic, but quiet, serene and calm, it doesn't even begin to describe it. It is so pragmatic, as if the result were an event against a member of the Hall of Fame after anotherand now after a third member of the Hall of Fame, which I really don't know if there is someone who can be compared.
«I mean, yes, Many parallels with Conor McGregor can be establishedbut even the way he acts after winning is as if he didn't even want to jump into the cage. It is crazy, and the celebration of the previous night, when an athlete says things like: “I'm just going to pick up my belt and won it at the camp”it's like, yes, but you still have to give up on the night of the fight. You can't be lazy on the night of the fight. We used to say about Floyd Mayweather that 50-0 is 50-0, he was never turned off on the night of the fight. You still have to go out and do it. But with this guy, It is almost as if he bend time».
Having conquered the UFC titles in the categories of 145 and 155 pounds, Topuria has talked about the possibility of raising another weight category to challenge Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-2 UFC), if the Daguestaní manages to snatch the UFC welter title from the UFC to Jack Della Maddalena when they face them at the end of this year.
Although The idea that Topuria won titles in three divisions could seem in his day a chimera, Anik believes that his victory over Oliveira in the T-Mobile Arena last weekend may have changed the public's perception about what The new lightweight champion is really capable of doing.
«Imagine that you are Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier and you are seeing how everything develops»Said Anik. «Any fighter with recent history with Charles Oliveira since, say, 2019 onwards, and then you see that, right? And don't tell me that this is not a Charles Oliveira at his best. I mean, If this were the hunger games, he would continue to lead the league.
«Follow as hungry as always for fighting. So imagine how some of the contemporaries of Ilyia Topuria feel when I see that, and I think that explains why that section was stunned. And, fortunately, as commentators, we are not silent because we have a job to do, but I think that for many fans, you and me, it's like: “Man, I will not rule out anything of this type.”
«I did not like their possibilities in the welter weight before this resultand now I think: “My God, uncle, nor would it happen to discard anything of this type.” … This ilia topuria, uncle, is unique, and His teammates are undoubtedly noticing.
