Alexander Volkanovski Noticed Potential Weakness in Ilia Topuria at UFC 317

[Neck&Neck]

 

[Preston broadus]

I want to see it. Volk is a warrior.

 

[Qays Stetkevich]

Volk grasping at straws …. The fight was 2 minutes lol

Not the biggest Ilia fan here. . . .but, like you say, c'mon Volk. Give it a rest.
If anything even remotely like what Volk is saying/imaginging is true, then it's that Top was simply "catching his breath" to make sure that he doesn't gas down the road if the fight draws out. Top trains professionally, and has a very good fight IQ. LOL, either that, or he gassed in under two minutes. . . -_-

 

[xhaydenx]

no chance in hell that any professional fighter at the highest level glasses out after one wrestling exchange 2 minutes into a fight.

Chandler did literally this against Paddy, and Chandler was even the one who initiated all the wrestling. As soon as they came out of the clinch the dude was done.

 

[fortheo]

Volk came to the right conclusion I think, but used the wrong reasoning lol. Volk should have realized that testing ilia's cardio with constant wrestling and clinching was a good idea in their first fight. Obviously you want to fatigue a heavy hitter, and constant graplling exchanges, even if you're on the losing end of some of them, is the way to do that.

Everyone is saying volk is wrong, but they won't be back in this thread once Ilia get's exhausted in a scramble heavy fight against a cardio wrestler. I'm telling you guys now, that making illia work in the grappling and fatiguing him is one of the key ways to beating Illia. The other is catching him on the feet, but good luck playing with that fire.

 

[KO Shotz]

Volk got tho. It pains me to say this (especially bout Volk), but talking about someone else's weaknesses when you did nothing to exploit any of it in your own fight against that person looks ignorant.

Sorry Volk. love ya still man.

 

[Tweak896]

I mean he's not wrong, you should obviously wrestle Topuria but ironically wrestling is his main base so good luck there. I don't think he has cardio issues unless you run a crazy pace on him and can force him to drain, but again easier said than done. Khabib would be best to counter him.

 

[r-harper-1]

Volk came to the right conclusion I think, but used the wrong reasoning lol. Volk should have realized that testing ilia's cardio with constant wrestling and clinching was a good idea in their first fight. Obviously you want to fatigue a heavy hitter, and constant graplling exchanges, even if you're on the losing end of some of them, is the way to do that.

Everyone is saying volk is wrong, but they won't be back in this thread once Ilia get's exhausted in a scramble heavy fight against a cardio wrestler. I'm telling you guys now, that making illia work in the grappling and fatiguing him is one of the key ways to beating Illia. The other is catching him on the feet, but good luck playing with that fire.

Lots of speculation

 

[nostradumbass]

Didn't Topuria say himself that he finds striking a lot less tiring than grappling? I mean it's pretty common knowledge that power punchers lose a lot of steam on their punches if you make them grapple and fill their arms with lactic acid. GSP said that like 16 years ago when he fought BJ, that he wanted to nullify BJ's boxing by leaning on him against the cage to make his arms heavier and slow down his punches.

 

[snaportap21]

View attachment 1102752

Elite wordsmith right there

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

What?
Is it not getting backed up against the cage and knocked the fuck out?
Look I love Volk but he had nothing for Topuria. Even as good in rematches as he is he’s gonna be 37 and at FW. Just stop it Volk

what do you mean he had nothing? he won the 1st rd.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

Ilia is so good that it's got people looking at him reverse position and getting on top of a bigger guy as a potential weakness

it's not a potential weakness, it is a weakness. if you can take him down over and over again there is no human on the planet that won't get tired. Topuria's weaknesses are the same as every single fighter's weakness, he isn't a robot. he can be tricked, he can be worn down, and he can be ktfo.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

what do you mean he had nothing? he won the 1st rd.

He got SMOKED.
It wasn’t like it was a hyper competitive first either.
Ilia made his early reads, anyone who boxed saw those punches getting closer and closer on Volk by inches every time. Hell look at the pbp I and a few others called it right before Volk went out

 

[188912345]

it's not a potential weakness, it is a weakness. if you can take him down over and over again there is no human on the planet that won't get tired. Topuria's weaknesses are the same as every single fighter's weakness, he isn't a robot. he can be tricked, he can be worn down, and he can be ktfo.

That's a pretty big "if", given his wrestling background and 93% takedown defense.

It would have to be someone with very good takedowns, top control, chin, striking, and cardio.

 

[fizzlehiss]

He overestimates his own gas tank. Illia might gas but he paces himself well, so your muscles will also be gassed and that's when his athletic bursts are going to trump speed and power wise. His gameplan in the first fight was great and based on staying safe while egging Illia on with jabs snd points, and funnily the chance Volk took to engage was the one that lost him the fight.

 

[Alpha_T83]

I think Topuria will fight Paddy (and win) and then move up to challenge for the welterweight belt. That's my prediction.

I'll be cheering for Paddy though.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Volk is a cerebral analytical fighter and just exposed that Ilia has half a round at best of cardio if you grapple him. Once he goes up against a big physical LW like Paddy who isn't just going to melt from one big wild haymaker, he's going to get drowned.

 

[dildos]

Volk wins a rematch imo.

 

[AmonTobin]

I’m sure he was catching his breath while kicking the legs. Smart move. He certainly expended energy fighting him in the reversal. I doubt he was gassed by any means though.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

He got SMOKED.
It wasn’t like it was a hyper competitive first either.
Ilia made his early reads, anyone who boxed saw those punches getting closer and closer on Volk by inches every time. Hell look at the pbp I and a few others called it right before Volk went out

yes, he got KO'd but he also won the 1st rd. same thing with Max. if you tell me somebody has NOTHING for someone, i expect them to pitch a shutout, not giveaway rds so they can setup their KO.