Topuria at 155 is a bad idea

[AndrewGolota48]

Look at the difference giving up all that size and range has on his style. Some guys can move up effortlessly because they are tall and large framed and just emaciating themselves (Oliveira, Hooker) but Ilia is a small guy and has no business at 155. I remembered the kick from this fight obviously but I didn't realize how much damage he took aside from that kick, and how much he struggled in basically the entire fight until he got bailed out by his power.

He's making the same mistake as Conor, a dominant striker at FW but struggled greatly at 155. The one fight that he looked amazing in was against another small, short 155 in Alvarez (and ok yeah he did beat the fairly large Cowboy).

Even if you look at Conor vs Poirier at 155, they are the same height but Dustin's body size is so much significantly bigger, and him and his wife even commented after the fight about how small and frail Conor was for that weight class.

People will post him all bulked up but it's silly, you can't say Wanderlei Silva when he was all bulked with roid muscle was "the same size" as Jon Jones. One is a natural MW and the other is now dominating and doesn't seem undersized at HW.

Ilia moving up is not the same as Poatan moving up. Massive framed for the weight class tall guys that are emaciating themselves are great candidates for moving up.

Merab, for example, would NOT be a good candidate for moving up. Khabib clearly knew he wasn't a good candidate for moving up. GSP was not a good candidate for moving up, despite his win over Bisping. Anderson Silva was a great candidate for moving up from 170 to 185.

DC would be a notable exception though, but he's also just at a much higher talent level than most of the shallow HW class.

 

[backlight]

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

besides islam, who else beats ilia?

 

[moreorless87]

Compared to Conor he's definitely not anywhere near as big a 145er

 

[PeterGriffin]

It's not Conor's size that doomed him, it was his complete and utter lack of discipline and common sense.

I believe Ilia should go to LW, there are a lot of fun fights there. Speed and proper technique translates directly into power, and Ilia seems to have both and I feel he's disciplined enough not to suffer Conor's fate.

What will fuck him up is lifting heavy to gain bulk to "belong" at 155lbs. He's already beaten the top two mainstays at 145lbs, and what does he do if he gets past Lopes and Evloev?

And Jon Jones is the runt of his family, he always had the frame to run and gun at HW. He was able to make 205 successfully and his path at LHW gave him distinct advantages so that's where he fought.

 

[Shaolin Alan]

I wouldn't mind seeing him beat up PP-Boy

 

[Nausicaa]

besides islam, who else beats ilia?

Arman would give him a helluva fight, but that's probably it at 155

 

[MisfitsBR]

prime Conor only has 1 fight at LW and was his peak against Eddie

after that we had crackhead Conor

but I do agree that his size can be a problem, his brother fights at BW for example

but we had short fighters that was champ before like Cormier, let him give a try if he wants it

 

[alchemy]

besides islam, who else beats ilia?

Evloev has a pretty great chance at beating him

 

[Skarsgard]

Massive power and grappling, but the dude's boxing leaves a lot to be desired outside of his ability to capitalize on openings. He's a mid-size FW who eats way too many shots while waiting for his chance. Don't see that performing well against guys like Gaethje.

 

[chinarice]

Massive power and grappling, but the dude's boxing leaves a lot to be desired outside of his ability to capitalize on openings. He's a mid-size FW who eats way too many shots while waiting for his chance. Don't see that performing well against guys like Gaethje.

Justin probably gets slept by Ilia.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Arman would give him a helluva fight, but that's probably it at 155

That's a pretty flippant assumption considering the only evidence we have so far is him struggling with Jai Herbert.

 

[j18lee]

He's making the same mistake as Conor, a dominant striker at FW but struggled greatly at 155. The one fight that he looked amazing in was against another small, short 155 in Alvarez (and ok yeah he did beat the fairly large Cowboy).

GSP was not a good candidate for moving up, despite his win over Bisping.

DC would be a notable exception though, but he's also just at a much higher talent level than most of the shallow HW class.

Pretty funny that in trying to prove your point that Topuria can't succeed at 155 because of his size, you gave 3 examples of great title wins by "small" guys who moved up - Conor, GSP and DC.

So, yeah, I think you actually proved the opposite, that Topuria if he is an all time great that he thinks he is, he can follow in the footsteps of Conor, GSP and DC to win a title after moving up.

 

[Skarsgard]

Justin probably gets slept by Ilia.

I don't think so. It takes a lot of volume to break Gaethje down. A prolonged beatdown like Condit over Kampmann. Ilia doesn't throw like that. He's closer to Woodley than he is Condit. He takes his time and waits, but eventually those openings aren't going to be there.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

he should be fine because he's not going to be fighting all the 155lbers. he's going to fight Islam, and he has a path to victory vs Islam.

 

[chinarice]

I don't think so. It takes a lot of volume to break Gaethje down. A prolonged beatdown like Condit over Kampmann. Ilia doesn't throw like that. He's closer to Woodley than he is Condit. He takes his time and waits, but eventually those openings aren't going to be there.

I watched max beat the piss out of Justin and watched Ilia beat the piss out of Max. I don't think it's a far stretch to think Ilia can't shut Justin's lights out

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

I watched max beat the piss out of Justin and watched Ilia beat the piss out of Max. I don't think it's a far stretch to think Ilia can't shut Justin's lights out

i wouldn't say he beat the piss out of Max. it was competitive until the overhand right. but i do agree Ilia can KO Justin.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

height and reach then, basically

 

[ejazahmednit]

Many short fighters have been champion, but I wonder about the gas tank for Ilia if he decides to bulk up for LW
He will have his hands full with Makhachev, Proirier, Tsarukyan and Olives

 

[Hymen Crusher]

He may not win but it won't be from lack of power. It will carry 100 up 10 pounds. Max and volk got put to sleep. That power carries