Is Topuria’s best advantage the same as Islam’s and Khamzat’s etc?

[blunttruth]

Most would say that Ilia Topuria’s greatest strength or advantage is his quick, powerful, and accurate inside boxing skills, and that Islam’s best advantage is his sambo takedown, control, and submission skills. I would not disagree with that, but wonder if those skills have now become so well known, respected, and feared, that the fear and respect may now be as effective, or more so, than the skills themselves? For example, do you think Volk or Max would have been more or less successful against Ilia if they had never seen or heard anything about how he fights, and instead just came into the fights more focused on their own strengths, and not trying to modify their own style to adapt to that of their opponent? Do Sherbros think it usually helps or hurts a fighter to adapt their style to an opponent, or is it like everything else, it is fighter and fight dependent?

 

[VinceArch]

If Volk or Max didn't watch any footage to study on, they deserved to lose but I doubt that's what either of them did. Ilia has kept on improving and both Volk and Max are battle worn so it might've been the perfect time but I'm really interested in Ilia vs Lopes. I think that'll be a barn burner the minute that fight starts.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Watching Ilia KO'ing Islam, BeLOL, and Khamzat back-to-back-to-back will be incredible

 

[Ozze]

I think when it gets too much on their head it can definitely be a disadvantage.

Kind like fighting Pereira with the only goal of not getting KTFO. Chances are you will.

 

[Superzorro]

If Volk or Max didn't watch any footage to study on, they deserved to lose but I doubt that's what either of them did. Ilia has kept on improving and both Volk and Max are battle worn so it might've been the perfect time but I'm really interested in Ilia vs Lopes. I think that'll be a barn burner the minute that fight starts.

It doesn’t seem like Diego Lopes thinks when he fights. He operates on pure muscle memory. Maybe that’ll just so happen to be what it takes to beat Topuria but I doubt it.

 

[VinceArch]

It doesn’t seem like Diego Lopes thinks when he fights. He operates on pure muscle memory. Maybe that’ll just so happen to be what it takes to beat Topuria but I doubt it.

There is success in fighting with reckless abandonment as we've seen many times before with BJ, Gaethje and Ferguson among others. Obviously it isn't suitable for a long career but if one can get away with it while still in their prime, don't fix it if it isn't broken. Yet.

 

[RockyLockridge]

If Volk or Max didn't watch any footage to study on, they deserved to lose but I doubt that's what either of them did. Ilia has kept on improving and both Volk and Max are battle worn so it might've been the perfect time but I'm really interested in Ilia vs Lopes. I think that'll be a barn burner the minute that fight starts.

It's a compelling fight because we know lopes has skills everywhere and he is also youngish entering his prime

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Most would say that Ilia Topuria’s greatest strength or advantage is his quick, powerful, and accurate inside boxing skills,

Well it's not his defensive prowess

 

[fightfan70]

seemed to me like max had ilia figured out and was jabbing the shit out of his face.

then ilia came back next round swinging for the fences.

i had max winning that fight till he got caught.

Volk was not prepared after being knocked out vs islam.

not trying to knock ilia or downplay his victories

but i dont think he is as unbeatable as he does.

there are many guys who pose a threat to him.

he may have beaten two old top dogs. but there are hungrier guys out there.

 

[VinceArch]

It's a compelling fight because we know lopes has skills everywhere and he is also youngish entering his prime

Exactly and as good as Ilia has proven himself to be, I think Diego can overwhelm him with his relentless assault, I hope we see it by summer.

 

[Sean Chowdhury]

I think the fear of Ilia's power definitely plays a part in how he wins fights, Max denied it in the lead up but in the fight we saw that he was very anxious about getting hit by Ilia and was circling away from the cage whenever he had the chance and mostly just spamming kicks rather than trying to box with Ilia for extended periods of time. Volkanovski was flinching and having big reactions whenever Ilia threw a punch, they both backed themselves up to fence and had lapses in judgement in fear of getting hit by Ilia. He's like a Featherweight Ngannou with the way people get scared of him, like how Ngannou had JDS literally running with his back turned

 

[Frode Falch]

The basics will not fail you if you are better at it then your opponent.

And Illia got some of the best fundamental technical boxing i have even seen so far in MMA

 

[chinarice]

seemed to me like max had ilia figured out and was jabbing the shit out of his face.

then ilia came back next round swinging for the fences.

i had max winning that fight till he got caught.

Volk was not prepared after being knocked out vs islam.

not trying to knock ilia or downplay his victories

but i dont think he is as unbeatable as he does.

there are many guys who pose a threat to him.

he may have beaten two old top dogs. but there are hungrier guys out there.

Ilia officially won the 1st round and was tuning Max in the 2nd and won that round on all cards. Finished him in the 3rd. If anything, ilia figured max out

 

[mister piscadinha]

i like lopes, i think ti will be a fun fight while it lasts

but his fighting style is tailor made to run face-first into illia's nuclear fist

 

[Eric Silva 2.0]

I think when it gets too much on their head it can definitely be a disadvantage.

Kind like fighting Pereira with the only goal of not getting KTFO. Chances are you will.

It's not only Pereira's power, you can get beaten before the fight even begins.....

 

[fightfan70]

Ilia officially won the 1st round and was tuning Max in the 2nd and won that round on all cards. Finished him in the 3rd. If anything, ilia figured max out

i had max winning the second round, ilia was getting lit up by the jab, 1 judge scored the first rd.for max.

we all are entitled to have an opinion.

 

[rjmbrd]

seemed to me like max had ilia figured out and was jabbing the shit out of his face.

then ilia came back next round swinging for the fences.

i had max winning that fight till he got caught.

Max was out pointing Topuria but he doesn't have the fire power to hurt him. He's a volume guy. Ilia knew he could take a few of Max's shots to land his own, and the fight is over. So it went.

Long term I think Illia will want to take less damage, but he went into that fight accepting he would get a bloody nose in exchange for knocking Max out.

They knew each others game, but Max had to be perfect to win and Illia did not.

Volk was not prepared after being knocked out vs islam.

not trying to knock ilia or downplay his victories

but i dont think he is as unbeatable as he does.

100% Volk came back too soon, but MMA is unkind to all who age out of their division. The only fighters who get out alive are the rare Khabib who retire early.

The best Illia is going to beat an aging Volk more times than not. If would could run some simulation and see them fight in their mutual prime, who knows what happens.

there are many guys who pose a threat to him.

he may have beaten two old top dogs. but there are hungrier guys out there.

On that note, Illia has repeatedly said he will only fight a few more years, wants to retire at 30. IMO he has a decent shot of pulling off an undefeated career. If he moves up to 155lbs, probably a lot harder, but many fun fights as you say.