Outside Source
“El Matador” claimed the vacant lightweight throne with a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira in this past Saturday’s headliner at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, improving his professional record to 17-0 in the process.
Topuria seems to be following a similar path to that of Conor McGregor, both of whom captured titles at 145 pounds before moving up to become UFC two-division champions. UFC CEO Dana White had a different comparison in mind, thanks in part to Topuria’s prognostication of a first-round knockout ahead of time.
“If you look at what he’s accomplished in his last three fights, tonight was like his big coming out party. Moved up to win another title and did it in spectacular fashion,” White said at the UFC 317 post-fight press conference.
UFC CEO: ‘We Have a Star on Our Hands’
“Like some [Muhammad] Ali sh—t saying, ‘I’m going to knock him out in the first round’ and viciously knocks him out in the first round. I think tonight was his big night. We have a star on our hands.”
With a knockout streak that now includes Oliveira, Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski, Topuria is on a run that is as impressive as any in recent memory. He also appears to possess some of the most fearsome power of any fighter in the Las Vegas-based promotion, regardless of weight class.
“He’s on a great three-fight win streak for sure — all legends that he knocked out,” White said. “I don’t know where he sits pound-for-pound punching power, but moving up a weight class and doing what you say you’re gonna do in the way that he did it is very impressive.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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