Did you just say Holloway schooled Topuria for three rounds with a straight face? That fight had a constant feeling of inevitability about it. It was clear a matter of when not if.
I felt that way in the volk fight too, then have heard people say volk was winning until he got caught.
I genuinely feel like some people watch this sport and don't grasp how it really works.
Both of those fights felt like "shit, which of these exchanges is going to be the one where Ilia is in the right place to demolish the opening he is setting up"
Meanwhile it felt to me like Max and Volk where both just perplexed and overwhelmed and hoping they were GUESSING the right blocking or dodging to survive another exchange..
And when Ilia did connect... no surprise here.
Computer overloaded. Combination came in hard and heavy and you avoided the first one but the hook got ya clean as fuck.
That's the issue for Charles. I love him but he drops his right hand in exchanges. He does it on kicks and punches and Ilia has one of if not the best left hook in the gane.
Charles needs to fight smart. Which I would not bet on.
If Charles is extremely regimented on throwing primarily straight shots up the middle. Teap kick, 1-2, front kick, knee up the middle BEHIND a setup... that could win him the fight.
If he plays hooks and angles I think Ilia wins and likely early.
And Charles likes to throw hooks.
Charles needs takedowns. He hould have a HUGE size advantage. If Bryce Mitchel could put Ilia on his back, Charles at least has hope. Mount or back mount i think Charles finishes from. People are very high on Ilias grappling though.
I do believe either man can win, and could do so DOMINANTLY but I feel like Charles is the one who has to adjust the most from his normal tendencies to have that outcome occur which makes it tough to pick him.
