News Oliveira: I'll knock out Topuria

[Bradillac]

Honestly, I think the 155lb division has been a bit overrated because the top guys are all brawlers and typically put on exciting fights. I think Ilia might come in and expose the divison a bit by steamrolling guys like Charles, Justin, and Dustin.

 

[fortheo]

Size is definitely going to be a factor. However, if Charles is on bottom and can't get a sub he's not winning rounds.

I don't know why you assume he'd be on bottom, but He did win from bottm against Kevin lee. Hell dariush is a bigger, better grappler than illia, especially on top position, and all he could do was defend.

Anyways, he may not win rounds from his back against illia, but if he's on his back he will make ilia work and drag the fight out longer, which is a win for Charles.

Also, people keep talking about takedowns and top position and ignore that we've seen Charles get like 5 standing submissions lol. Grabbing necks standing is one of his specialties.

 

[Human Bass]

Charles has a chance with high kicks.

 

[Aurelian]

I don't know why you assume he'd be on bottom, but He did win from bottm against Kevin lee. Hell dariush is a bigger, better grappler than illia, especially on top position, and all he could do was defend.

Anyways, he may not win rounds from his back against illia, but he will make ilia work and drag the fight out longer, which is a win.

Also, people keep talking about takefowns and top position and ignore that we've seen Charles get like 5 standing submissions lol

Holloway has a 83% TDD (was higher before he fought Ilia) and Ilia took him down twice with ease. Half of Ilia's total wins are by sub. I don't know why people think Charles can just steamroll him in the grappling.

 

[fortheo]

Holloway has a 83% TDD and Ilia took him down twice with ease. Half of Ilia's total wins are by sub. I don't know why people think Charles can just steamroll him in the grappling.

He couldn't get any control time on max, and Brian Ortega and Conor McGregor took max down man. A couple of nice takedowns here and there is nothing compared to 15 years of high-level grappling that Charles has shown while facing all UFC level talent.

I'm not saying Charles would steam roll ilia, but we've seen much more from Charles. I do not know how any one can say that because illia took down a few guys he'll be the better grappler. Charles has taken down more guys, bigger guys, better wrestlers, and he's submitted more guys, too. And again, the takedowns and takedown defense thing is only be aspect of the grappling -- we've seen Charles get standing submissions numerous times.

Charles should be looked at as the bigger grappling threat of the two.

 

[Aurelian]

He couldn't get any control time on max, and Brian Ortega and Conor McGregor took max down man. A couple of nice takedowns here and there is nothing compared to 15 years of high-level grappling that Charles has shown while facing all UFC level talent.

I'm not saying Charles would steam roll ilia, but we've seen much more from Charles. I do not know how any one can say that because illia took down a few guys he'll be the better grappler. Charles has taken down more guys, bigger guys, better wrestlers, and he's submitted more guys, too. And again, the takedowns and takedown defense thing is only be aspect of the grappling -- we've seen Charles get standing submissions numerous times.

Charles should be looked at as the bigger grappling threat of the two.

Well, I mean, Ilia has a 92% TDD rate right now. He's a strong little motherfucker. Bryce went 1-9 on takedowns against him. I'm not sure Charles can get him on the ground if Ilia doesn't want to be there and if he is Ilia is going to be on top.

I love Charles, but I think his striking and clinch game is the path to victory. Not the ground game. Just my opinion.

 

[fortheo]

Well, I mean, Ilia has a 92% TDD rate right now. He's a strong little motherfucker. Bryce went 1-9 on takedowns against him. I'm not sure Charles can get him on the ground if Ilia doesn't want to be there and if he is Ilia is going to be on top.

I love Charles, but I think his striking and clinch game is the path to victory. Not the ground game. Just my opinion.

Ilia has very few fights in the ufc. That 92 percent has barley been tested, like at all. I personally didn't draw as much confidence from that Bryce fight as most did because Ilia was pretty much solely focused on tdd, to the point where he was taking many strikes from a poor striker In Bryce and he was sprawling hard just off takedown feints. I'm not confident in his ability against a bigger, better all around fighter who can mix things up.

 

[AMAZINGUFC]

I was comparing Conor and Topuria, not Charles. It is Topuria that is moving up from FW, like Conor did and was KOing guys at FW like Conor did, and Conor's KO power did not translate to LW....will Topuria's?

Topuria made Herbert fly off the ground in the lightweight category, my friend.

 

[Aurelian]

Ilia has very few fights in the ufc. That 92 percent has barley been tested, like at all. I personally didn't draw as much confidence from that Bryce fight as most did because Ilia was pretty much solely focused on tdd, to the point where he was taking many strikes from a poor striker In Bryce and he was sprawling hard just off takedown feints. I'm not confident in his ability against a bigger, better all around fighter who can mix things up.

Like you said, Charles is going to be bigger. This is an advantage in the striking just as it is on the ground. If Charles can get Ilia in a clinch and deliver some knees he could hurt Ilia bad.

Charles is a very good striker. He's solid all around. He doesn't have to rely on his excellent ground game to win this fight.

 

[BluntForceTrama]

If it’s one thing we’ve learned about olives over the years it’s that he’s susceptible to the overhand right and check hooks. Both of which or Tops bread and butter

 

[TOMFDJYEDH]

Topuira will honestly flatline him, Charles gets caught in every fight.

 

[fortheo]

Like you said, Charles is going to be bigger. This is an advantage in the striking just as it is on the ground. If Charles can get Ilia in a clinch and deliver some knees he could hurt Ilia bad.

Charles is a very good striker. He's solid all around. He doesn't have to rely on his excellent ground game to win this fight.

I think he should rely on everything. I'm tired of fighters coming at Illia with single minded approaches -- Max, Volk, and Emmett just tried to strike with him. Mitchel and hall just tried to grapple etc etc. I want someone to do everything against him. Charles is the best suited to do that, if he doesn't get knocked out right away lol

 

[HeadKickerV2]

If Charles is smart he will rely on ground game, on the feet he needs to keep distance... something he never does

 

[r-harper-1]

Very clear and almost to the point where it won’t be competitive on the ground.

I couldn’t imagine Topuria getting subbed by Jim Miller

 

[r-harper-1]

Charles better tuck that chin

 

[fortheo]

I couldn’t imagine Topuria getting subbed by Jim Miller

Jim miller is a Div I wrestler and high level BJJ black belt who was in his prime, and charles was 20 years old and green and bouncing between weight classes. When illia was 20, he was only like 4 fights into his career, a bantamweight, and no where near facing top 15 LW guys like prime Miller. You honestly can't see a prime Jim miller catching that version of illia in a sub? the guy has 21 subs lol.

 

[LeBron]

Ilia will walk through him

 

[mkess101]

He couldn't get any control time on max, and Brian Ortega and Conor McGregor took max down man. A couple of nice takedowns here and there is nothing compared to 15 years of high-level grappling that Charles has shown while facing all UFC level talent.

I'm not saying Charles would steam roll ilia, but we've seen much more from Charles. I do not know how any one can say that because illia took down a few guys he'll be the better grappler. Charles has taken down more guys, bigger guys, better wrestlers, and he's submitted more guys, too. And again, the takedowns and takedown defense thing is only be aspect of the grappling -- we've seen Charles get standing submissions numerous times.

Charles should be looked at as the bigger grappling threat of the two.

Also...how many people are gonna watch rd 1 of Charles/Arman and think "Yep, I'm gonna shoot a double on that guy where my neck slides right under his arm"? How many LW's don't tap or go out in that spot. Only because Arman is an animal and has almost no neck did he survive that. Maybe Ilia would too? But I damn sure wouldn't count on that as part of a gameplan.

IMO Ilia won't want anything to do with the ground if he can help it. His boxing is slick AF and he's shown massive power (albeit against FW's) so there's no reason to mess around with a grappler both as accomplished and aggressive as Charles. That's playing with fire while doused in kerosene. Not worth the risk.

 

[FlowchartRog]

Charles will catch him with a left hook, make him do the baby deer, then grab hold of him and finish him off with a flurry of knees from Thai clinch.

1st round, easy win.

 

[AmonTobin]

Charles getting a KO or stunning shots to sub would be awesome. I kinda like seeing double belt hunters jump divisions and get turned away.