Max Holloway Warned About Ilia Topuria’s Mind Games – ‘He’s Trying To Set A Trap’
Michael Bisping has warned Max Holloway from being sucked into Ilia Topuria’s mind games.
They face off at UFC 308 clash this weekend. Holloway is coming off a huge victory after he knocked out Justin Gaethje to become the BMF champion at UFC 300. The fight ended in dramatic circumstances after Holloway decided to trade with Gaethje in the final round. Holloway was already ahead in the fight, meaning there was no need to take that risk. However, he urged Justin to meet him in the center as the two men traded off. The fight ended after Holloway landed a massive right hand with the second left to go.
Topuria is also having a successful period, having knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. The victory made him the UFC Featherweight Champion, the belt which he will now defend against Holloway. He took his record to 7-0, with five knockouts to his name. The two fighters are known for having incredible stamina.
Topuria’s Aim
Topuria has suggested that he will knock out Holloway and has urged Max to take the fight to him so they can scrap it in the middle of the octagon. Topuria has shown his ability to end fights, having stopped Damon Jackson, Ryan Hall, Jai Herbert, and Volkanovski in KO finishes. He has backed himself to do the same against Holloway.
“In the first ten seconds of the fight, I’m going to point to the ground and we’ll see what he’s going to do. I will be in the middle of the octagon, so let’s bang bro. If you’re ready, I was born ready. “First ten seconds, I’m going to point [to] the middle of the octagon and I will stay there. I want to give the best and the most exciting ten seconds in the UFC history to the fans, they deserve it. And if he stays in the middle, I promise I’m going to knock him out, I’m going to take his head off,” Topuria said
Bisping Reacts
While Holloway is known for having excellent conditioning, Bisping recognized that his biggest strength could also be his weakness. He felt that Topuria was trying to goad Max to exchange with the aim of knocking him out. He felt that Topuria’s power was the difference maker in the fight.
“I think that’s what Ilia is doing here; he’s trying to set a trap. He’s saying, ‘Come on, point at the ground, let’s go to war right here,’ because he wants to knock Holloway out. When you compare these two fighters on paper, they’re both incredible boxers. But one big difference that stands out is the power of Ilia Topuria. It’s just different; he puts people to sleep.“I think I’m going to go out there and say, Ilia Topuria can put him down – he’s got the power to do so, and he mixes it up so well between the disciplines. I would not be surprised if Max Holloway got dropped in this fight,” Bisping stated
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