Hot take: If Topuria runs through Max (big if), he's a problem for Islam stylisticially

[TheMMAnalyst]

I completely agree. Islam is proven through and through and we know what his strenght and waeknesses are and he has improved over time. Topuria is dangerous but has shown many more weaknesses than Islam thus far.
So maybe Topuria is coming into his prime and developing quickly....the next fight agains Max will tell us more. But up untill this point Islam is more proiven.

Fom what we have seen so far Topuria is not only the lesser wrestler when compared to Islam....he is also a lesser overal grappler. Abdulmanaps students arent just 'wrestlers with striking'. Their overal grappling is probably the best we have seen in MMA's young history. On the ground and standing, in transitions. In the centre or against the cage....on top or even from back (very rarely). Topuria's chance is a quick knock out in the first two rounds because if Islam gets him down before that....Topuria will be very tired when he gets up.

Topuria is not tall or lengthy, he relies on using tight footwork and some really nice feinting/blitzing hand-speed to work inside to boxing range where he does his best work with combinations while pressuring/blitzing. He has some nice powerful calf kicks too, but doesn't really kick to the body or head.

As we've seen from Islam his kicking game has come a long way - yes Volk was out of shape for the rematch, but that head-kick he killed him with was a thing of beauty the way he set it up and threw it. The one time we've seen Topuria badly hurt? Head-kick from a mid-level journeyman kickboxer in Jai Herbert. Topuria has also never fought a southpaw once in the UFC, we have no idea how his defense holds up against those open-side body/head kicks and the south-paw double threat (straight-left or roundhouse kick?).

Islam would have like 3 inches of height + reach, be naturally stronger, 15+ lbs heavier, and have a far superior clinch game + wrestling game + grappling game while being proven against elite opponents. Topuria's only edge would be boxing inside the pocket but Islam could always work to get a clinch off a shot and then look to hit trips off body-locks or transition to a Thai plum and work knees.

I just don't see Topuria being built for LW, he had one fight at that weight class because he missed weight against Jourdain and they wanted to punish him by making him move up for his next fight. He's perfectly built for FW, but at LW he can't afford to give up so much size/reach and wrestling/grappling advantages to the very top guys like Islam/Arman/Charles.

I think it's a classic case of MMA Math again where some people go "but Topuria killed Volk when he was in shape at FW, Islam struggled with him at LW the first time!" without any context (i.e. Topuria fought him shortly after Islam brutally KO'd him + Islam had to deal with traveling to Australia plus special re-hydration rules that left him physically drained and not nearly as big/strong/consistent endurance as we've seen).

I don't think Islam would run through him or anything, Topuria is tough as nails and always dangerous with his power, but it would be a fight where you would heavily have to favor Islam going into it since Topuria's path to victory is so narrow (would need to pressure him to the cage and blitz him or get Islam to engage in extended boxing combinations in the pocket - and he's likely just far too smart and good at game-planning to make those mistakes).

 

[kkthx]

I think Islam is better everywhere.

 

[RichardHarrow]

Lol always clinging to a new hopeful.

 

[bjjwar]

Sure.

Islam is the best current fighter in the UFC, and has improved a lot since Volk #1.

1. Ilia has not shown (yet?) to be near the same level Volk was circa his 1st fight vs Islam. The best FW ever, for some (Aldo IMO, but it's debatable if THAT version of Volk -Max #3, Yair- was better).
Yes, he KO'ed Volk and all that, I know, I know. Still.

2. Islam is chinny? Because of that loss like 10 years ago? He was banging with Dustin and actually outstriking him.

3. Islam is 3" taller, has a reach edge (unlike vs Volk, who is built like an ape) and is much stronger.

It's a mismatch and not going to happen because UFC knows once/if Islam beats Arman, his business is moving up.

It's MMA, everything can happen and nothing's for granted, but if Arman is not that dude, there's no legit challenger for Islam @ 155.
Let alone at 145.

How can you say improved alot since the Volk 1 guy fight? In the second fight he wasn't looking great and landed a high kick in the first round (so we didn't see any improvement) and against Poirier it was nothing special either. He actually looked much better before these 3 fights.

 

[Rataria]

I guarantee you Max is gonna be in the fight and piecing up Monkey boy from rd1 to rd5

 

[Bilzerian]

Islam will kick that midget head out so easy