Ilia Topuria couldn’t be happier for Alexander Volkanovski after his UFC title win.
Alexander Volkanovski had hoped it would be his old rival Ilia Topuria who he’d fight for the featherweight title again but not everything goes according to plan.
After knocking out both Volkanovski and Max Holloway last year, Topuria relinquished the title in February, leaving his former foe and Diego Lopes to fight for the vacant belt last weekend in the main event of UFC 314.
Volkanovski bounced back from two KO losses and a year layoff with a stellar performance against Lopes, reclaiming the title by unanimous decision.
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Ilia Topuria praises Alexander Volkanovski after UFC 314
‘Alexander The Great’ is now 18-1 as a featherweight with his only loss coming to Topuria.
“He’s so great,” Topuria said of his former foe Volkanovski.
“I was so happy for him this this Saturday because he really deserves to get that title back.”
Volkanovski has 7 title fight wins and 5 title defenses and likely would’ve had more had he not challenged Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title twice in 2023.
With a record of 27-4, the Australian has fought every defending featherweight champion in UFC history.
Ilia Topuria asked if Alexander Volkanovski’s title win ‘bothers’ him
No longer the UFC Featherweight Champion as of last Saturday night, Joe Rogan asked Topuria:
“Does it bother you to see someone win your title?”
“No,” Topuria answered.
“Not at all. I’m good. Happy for him,” Topuria said of Volkanovski.
Unlike his Irish predecessor Conor McGregor, who left the division after knocking out then-champion Jose Aldo, Ilia Topuria defended the featherweight title once against Max Holloway at UFC 308 last October.
“I won. I defended,” Topuria continued.
“Right now, I have a completely different challenge in front of me.
“I wish him nothing but the best and to everyone, I wish the best wins all the time,” Topuria said.
Ilia Topuria has his sights set on champion Islam Makhachev’s lightweight belt, not wanting to fight anyone at 155lbs besides him for now.
