Daniel Cormier believes Ilia Topuria is starting to get under Max Holloway’s skin ahead of their highly anticipated UFC 308 showdown. Topuria, the undefeated featherweight champion (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), is set to defend his title against the seasoned Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in the main event on October 26 at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi.
During a pre-fight interview moderated by Brendan Fitzgerald, tensions rose between the two fighters. Topuria boldly claimed that he would be the first to knock out Holloway, which seemed to rattle the former champion. Cormier, who observed the exchange, believes that Topuria’s confidence has begun to frustrate Holloway.
“For me, this is where it gets interesting: We saw Max Holloway get a little mad,” Cormier explained on the “Good Guy/Bad Guy” show with Chael Sonnen. “It feels like Ilia Topuria has reached a point where Max doesn’t like him anymore. At first, Topuria respected Max’s career and accomplishments, but now, I’m not sure he holds the same respect. And that’s smart from Topuria.
“Look at Holloway’s last fight against Justin Gaethje—Gaethje liked Max, had no ill feelings toward him, and even admitted he couldn’t get motivated for the fight because of how well-liked Holloway is. And what happened? Max knocked him out with one of the most brutal KOs we’ve seen in a long time. But Ilia isn’t falling into that trap. He’s saying, ‘I’m going to knock you out. I’m going to retire you.’ He already said he retired Volkanovski, and he’s confident he’ll do the same to Max.”
Topuria’s rise to the top has been nothing short of impressive. After dominant performances against Bryce Mitchell and Josh Emmett, he dethroned the formidable Alexander Volkanovski with a second-round knockout at UFC 298. Meanwhile, Holloway is back in the title mix after a stunning knockout victory over Gaethje, which earned him the BMF title at UFC 300.
As UFC 308 approaches, the tension between Topuria and Holloway continues to build, promising an intense showdown in Abu Dhabi.
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