UFC enthusiasts were taken aback by Ilia Topuria’s words to Alexander Volkanovski during their face-off following the pre-fight press conference ahead of their highly anticipated featherweight title clash.
Topuria, mirroring Conor McGregor’s memorable moment against Jose Aldo, boldly grabbed Volkanovski’s belt, showcasing his confidence. However, it was what the 27-year-old said to the reigning champion during their intense face-off that caught many fight fans off guard.
In a surprising display of respect, Topuria uttered, “I respect you as a person and as a professional. I’m just following my dreams.”
Given Topuria’s brash demeanor in the lead-up to UFC 298, fans were astonished by his courteous exchange with the UFC featherweight king.
One X user remarked, “The politest ‘I’m gonna kick your ass soon, but it’s not personal’.”
Another Twitter user expressed, “This is why I love MMA.”
A third individual added, “If only they would all have respect for each other. I get trash talk but this is so much better.”
A fourth commenter noted, “I can’t tell you how much I love this. No sh*t talk about their families, childhoods, etc. Just pure respect. This fight is going to be awesome!”
Yet another commented, “And just like that Topuria is who the people wanna see win.”
Topuria enters his inaugural UFC championship bout brimming with confidence and optimism. He believes in his ability to emerge victorious, asserting that his opponent lacks knockout power and isn’t a “finisher.”
During UFC media day, Topuria confidently stated, “I understand that he doesn’t have knockout power. I have knockout power. He goes on volume, that’s how he wins his fights. He’s not a finisher, when a fight goes to the ground, he’s not known for finishing.
“So I’m a different breed and I’m going to beat him up. If he doesn’t believe it, if that’s not what he thinks, and whoever thinks the contrary, screw them.”
