Move, shavkat. Laura Sanko has discovered a new UFC star.
After dominating the featherweight division with highlight reel knockouts such as Alexander Volkanovsky and Max Holloway, Ilia Topria is ready for a new challenge. On Saturday night, June 28th, he gets just that.
Emitted from the familiar range of the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC 317 will make its lightweight debut due to a collision with Topuria’s new 155-pound champion winner, Charles Oliveira.
Through his unharmed run within Topuria’s Octagon, “El Matador” has been involved in a series of surprising finishes. However, Sanko thinks it should be noted that fighters like Bryce Mitchell find some success over the undefeated Georgian sense before getting caught up in the “sexyness” of Toplia’s knockout power.
“Looking back at Ilia’s fight, it’s very easy to be wiped out by the sexyness of his finish,” Sanko said to one. “Listen, a lot of what this guy is doing is absolutely gorgeous, but there are moments when you can think about where you like.
“If this was Charles Oliveira, I think he’s got a big problem here.”
Can Ilia Topuria finish the UFC’s most prolific finisher?
There’s been a lot to say about Topria’s ability to retrieve some of the biggest names in the game, but none of them have a bigger finisher than Oliveira.
“Do Bronx” cleaned up 20 of its 23 opponents under the UFC banner, including 16 submissions and four knockouts. Along the way, he stopped Jeremy Stevens, Clay Gida, Jim Miller, Kevin Lee, Michael Chandler, Dustin Poilier, Justin Gesche and others.
Both Topuria and Oliveira are known for their ability to finish things within distance, so it’s clear that something needs to be given to the headlines of loaded international fight week cards.