Islam vs Ilia serious question

[pamirec]

Aight Sherbros, be honest. Let’s say Islam didn’t move up and faced Ilia without Ilia having to fight a top lw contender first. He dominates Ilia and obviously moving up takes some time. Would it have been more impressive than his win over JDM?

 

[xhaydenx]

Ilia would have knocked him out cold.

 

[b00tysweat]

would staying at 1 belt be more impressive than getting 2 belts?

is this a real question?

 

[Rubios]

Ilia is a real deal, no question.
But anyone not favoring Islam H2H even at 155 back then is going guts over reason.

 

[Conan the K-9]

I think Ilia is trouble at 155 and when he moved up there was a lot of hype around him. That fight should have happened in the summer. Ilia going up to 170, especially now when Mofo has had time to take that Russian creatine, is a complete joke and has not that buzz anymore. Ilia is too small for 170. They missed the opportunity for this superfight.

It’s as ridiculous as Khamzat cutting down to 170 and stealing a second belt. But I see that as the more realistic case.

 

[Kwic]

It's good Islam moved up.
If he didn't and beat up Ilia everyone would say Ilia was too small and not ready for 155.
It was a lose-lose situation for Islam.

But now since they are both double champs it makes this fight so much bigger.

 

[pamirec]

Ilia would have knocked him out cold.

He would get dominated. Islam is not chinny Charles.

 

[C0NCH3TO]

Topuria vs Islam would have been very interesting.

 

[TheNewGame]

Ilia refused to fight a top LW contender before a LW title shot because the UFC promised him one, so he would've been just "another FW" like Volk, and people will say Islam is a weight bully who only fights FWs.

 

[pamirec]

would staying at 1 belt be more impressive than getting 2 belts?

is this a real question?

To me it was a great career move. Islam justifiably asked for Ilia to fight a top lw contender first. I know he did so because beating up Ilia right then would mean “just a win over a another little guy, what’s the big deal?”. Before the JDM figh it was all Islam “ducking” Ilia bs, but I wanna know if things have changed now that Islam won the WW belt in such a dominant fashion.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Illia is too small for WW and Islam would maul him there.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

would staying at 1 belt be more impressive than getting 2 belts?

is this a real question?

This kind of thinking is the problem. Staying in one weight class, cleaning it out, and smashing the title defense record is absolutely more impressive than a questionable run and then moving up to beat a mid champion who isn’t even the best guy in that division.

 

[pamirec]

Illys vs Islam would have been very interesting.

Sure. Ilia’s hands are made of dynamite. It would’ve been very intriguing.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

Aight Sherbros, be honest. Let’s say Islam didn’t move up and faced Ilia without Ilia having to fight a top lw contender first. He dominates Ilia and obviously moving up takes some time. Would it have been more impressive than his win over JDM?

Not just Ilia. I’d say that Ilia and Arman back to back would be more impressive than JDM and mummy Usman.

 

[HHJ]

This kind of thinking is the problem. Staying in one weight class, cleaning it out, and smashing the title defense record is absolutely more impressive than a questionable run and then moving up to beat a mid champion who isn’t even the best guy in that division.

Time will tell. That's just one fight.

 

[pamirec]

This kind of thinking is the problem. Staying in one weight class, cleaning it out, and smashing the title defense record is absolutely more impressive than a questionable run and then moving up to beat a mid champion who isn’t even the best guy in that division.

Are you ok with ilia defending only once and moving up?

 

[pamirec]

Ilia refused to fight a top LW contender before a LW title shot because the UFC promised him one, so he would've been just "another FW" like Volk, and people will say Islam is a weight bully who only fights FWs.

Yeah that’s a big part of the reason why Islam didn’t want to take that fight.

 

[moosaev]

Aight Sherbros, be honest. Let’s say Islam didn’t move up and faced Ilia without Ilia having to fight a top lw contender first. He dominates Ilia and obviously moving up takes some time. Would it have been more impressive than his win over JDM?

No. They would’ve said Ilia was too small, then they would’ve slammed islam for only fighting FWs lol. Over time the JDM win will age better as well.

 

[moosaev]

This kind of thinking is the problem. Staying in one weight class, cleaning it out, and smashing the title defense record is absolutely more impressive than a questionable run and then moving up to beat a mid champion who isn’t even the best guy in that division.

Ilia defended 145 belt ONCE, lol. The nerve of you guys hahahaha.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

Aight Sherbros, be honest. Let’s say Islam didn’t move up and faced Ilia without Ilia having to fight a top lw contender first. He dominates Ilia and obviously moving up takes some time. Would it have been more impressive than his win over JDM?

Ilia would have knocked him out cold.

I think Ilia is trouble at 155 and when he moved up there was a lot of hype around him. That fight should have happened in the summer. Ilia going up to 170, especially now when Mofo has had time to take that Russian creatine, is a complete joke and has not that buzz anymore. Ilia is too small for 170. They missed the opportunity for this superfight.

It’s as ridiculous as Khamzat cutting down to 170 and stealing a second belt. But I see that as the more realistic case.

Are you ok with ilia defending only once and moving up?

If Islam fought him at 155, many of you would say beating a 145 guy with no wins against top 155 guys is meaningless.
There is no pleasing some of you.
170 is harder than 155 right now