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Ilia Topuria is targeting more than just a win when he shares the cage with fellow undefeated featherweight prospect Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282.
In one of the standout bouts on tonight’s pay-per-view card, which marks the UFC‘s final of the year, two surging 145lbers with unblemished records will collide, with Topuria hoping to ascend into the divisional top 10 at the expense of the #9-ranked Mitchell.
For “El Matador,” UFC 282 will mark a return to the weight class having made a brief foray to lightweight this year, knocking Jai Herbert out at UFC London in March. While he’s confident in his abilities to challenge the elite at 155 pounds, the Georgian is looking to complete his championship ambitions at featherweight first.
Having secured a number next to his name in the division thanks to wins over Youssef Zalal, Damon Jackson, and Ryan Hall, Topuria is set for the toughest test of his career to date in the form of Mitchell, whose perfect professional record includes victories over Charles Rosa, Andre Fili, and Edson Barboza.
Despite that, the 25-year-old is not only confident of having his hand raised come fight night, but he thinks he can do it by sleeping “Thug Nasty.”
Topuria Wants To Make It Look Easy Versus Mitchell
During his appearance at UFC 282 media day on Wednesday, Topuria laid out his hopes and expectations for when he meets Mitchell for his fourth appearance inside the Octagon.
More than just adding the name of the Arkansas native to his résumé’s win column, Topuria noted that the most important part of the main card opener will be securing an emphatic finish, rather than a “boring” decision.
“I know that someone’s going to lose his undefeated (status), and it’s not going to be me,” Topuria said. “He’s not going to be able to take me down and I’m gonna strike with him, because I’m way better in the striking. I’m gonna put his lights out on Saturday night.
“For me, the most important thing is to get the finish, to finish him in the first round. Because I don’t want to get inside that cage and do a boring fight, you know? I know that I’m going to get that win, but I want to make (it) look easy, this is my goal,” Topuria added. “My goal is to shine inside that cage. It’s not just go in and get the normal win.”
That aggressive and entertainment-focused mindset was on full display in Topuria’s last outing, where he went toe-to-toe with Herbert on the feet, recovering from an early knockdown to secure a brutal second-round KO.
Should he enter the Octagon at UFC 282 with a similar level of violence on his mind, the fans in Las Vegas may be in for a treat.
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 282, Ilia Topuria or Bryce Mitchell?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Ilia Topuria is targeting more than just a win when he shares the cage with fellow undefeated featherweight prospect Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282.
In one of the standout bouts on tonight’s pay-per-view card, which marks the UFC‘s final of the year, two surging 145lbers with unblemished records will collide, with Topuria hoping to ascend into the divisional top 10 at the expense of the #9-ranked Mitchell.
For “El Matador,” UFC 282 will mark a return to the weight class having made a brief foray to lightweight this year, knocking Jai Herbert out at UFC London in March. While he’s confident in his abilities to challenge the elite at 155 pounds, the Georgian is looking to complete his championship ambitions at featherweight first.
Having secured a number next to his name in the division thanks to wins over Youssef Zalal, Damon Jackson, and Ryan Hall, Topuria is set for the toughest test of his career to date in the form of Mitchell, whose perfect professional record includes victories over Charles Rosa, Andre Fili, and Edson Barboza.
Despite that, the 25-year-old is not only confident of having his hand raised come fight night, but he thinks he can do it by sleeping “Thug Nasty.”
Topuria Wants To Make It Look Easy Versus Mitchell
During his appearance at UFC 282 media day on Wednesday, Topuria laid out his hopes and expectations for when he meets Mitchell for his fourth appearance inside the Octagon.
More than just adding the name of the Arkansas native to his résumé’s win column, Topuria noted that the most important part of the main card opener will be securing an emphatic finish, rather than a “boring” decision.
“I know that someone’s going to lose his undefeated (status), and it’s not going to be me,” Topuria said. “He’s not going to be able to take me down and I’m gonna strike with him, because I’m way better in the striking. I’m gonna put his lights out on Saturday night.
“For me, the most important thing is to get the finish, to finish him in the first round. Because I don’t want to get inside that cage and do a boring fight, you know? I know that I’m going to get that win, but I want to make (it) look easy, this is my goal,” Topuria added. “My goal is to shine inside that cage. It’s not just go in and get the normal win.”
That aggressive and entertainment-focused mindset was on full display in Topuria’s last outing, where he went toe-to-toe with Herbert on the feet, recovering from an early knockdown to secure a brutal second-round KO.
Should he enter the Octagon at UFC 282 with a similar level of violence on his mind, the fans in Las Vegas may be in for a treat.
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 282, Ilia Topuria or Bryce Mitchell?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
In one of the standout bouts on tonight’s pay-per-view card, which marks the UFC‘s final of the year, two surging 145lbers with unblemished records will collide, with Topuria hoping to ascend into the divisional top 10 at the expense of the #9-ranked Mitchell.
For “El Matador,” UFC 282 will mark a return to the weight class having made a brief foray to lightweight this year, knocking Jai Herbert out at UFC London in March. While he’s confident in his abilities to challenge the elite at 155 pounds, the Georgian is looking to complete his championship ambitions at featherweight first.
Having secured a number next to his name in the division thanks to wins over Youssef Zalal, Damon Jackson, and Ryan Hall, Topuria is set for the toughest test of his career to date in the form of Mitchell, whose perfect professional record includes victories over Charles Rosa, Andre Fili, and Edson Barboza.
Despite that, the 25-year-old is not only confident of having his hand raised come fight night, but he thinks he can do it by sleeping “Thug Nasty.”
Topuria Wants To Make It Look Easy Versus Mitchell
During his appearance at UFC 282 media day on Wednesday, Topuria laid out his hopes and expectations for when he meets Mitchell for his fourth appearance inside the Octagon.
More than just adding the name of the Arkansas native to his résumé’s win column, Topuria noted that the most important part of the main card opener will be securing an emphatic finish, rather than a “boring” decision.
“I know that someone’s going to lose his undefeated (status), and it’s not going to be me,” Topuria said. “He’s not going to be able to take me down and I’m gonna strike with him, because I’m way better in the striking. I’m gonna put his lights out on Saturday night.
“For me, the most important thing is to get the finish, to finish him in the first round. Because I don’t want to get inside that cage and do a boring fight, you know? I know that I’m going to get that win, but I want to make (it) look easy, this is my goal,” Topuria added. “My goal is to shine inside that cage. It’s not just go in and get the normal win.”
That aggressive and entertainment-focused mindset was on full display in Topuria’s last outing, where he went toe-to-toe with Herbert on the feet, recovering from an early knockdown to secure a brutal second-round KO.
Should he enter the Octagon at UFC 282 with a similar level of violence on his mind, the fans in Las Vegas may be in for a treat.
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 282, Ilia Topuria or Bryce Mitchell?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Ilia Topuria is targeting more than just a win when he shares the cage with fellow undefeated featherweight prospect Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282.
In one of the standout bouts on tonight’s pay-per-view card, which marks the UFC‘s final of the year, two surging 145lbers with unblemished records will collide, with Topuria hoping to ascend into the divisional top 10 at the expense of the #9-ranked Mitchell.
For “El Matador,” UFC 282 will mark a return to the weight class having made a brief foray to lightweight this year, knocking Jai Herbert out at UFC London in March. While he’s confident in his abilities to challenge the elite at 155 pounds, the Georgian is looking to complete his championship ambitions at featherweight first.
Having secured a number next to his name in the division thanks to wins over Youssef Zalal, Damon Jackson, and Ryan Hall, Topuria is set for the toughest test of his career to date in the form of Mitchell, whose perfect professional record includes victories over Charles Rosa, Andre Fili, and Edson Barboza.
Despite that, the 25-year-old is not only confident of having his hand raised come fight night, but he thinks he can do it by sleeping “Thug Nasty.”
Topuria Wants To Make It Look Easy Versus Mitchell
During his appearance at UFC 282 media day on Wednesday, Topuria laid out his hopes and expectations for when he meets Mitchell for his fourth appearance inside the Octagon.
More than just adding the name of the Arkansas native to his résumé’s win column, Topuria noted that the most important part of the main card opener will be securing an emphatic finish, rather than a “boring” decision.
“I know that someone’s going to lose his undefeated (status), and it’s not going to be me,” Topuria said. “He’s not going to be able to take me down and I’m gonna strike with him, because I’m way better in the striking. I’m gonna put his lights out on Saturday night.
“For me, the most important thing is to get the finish, to finish him in the first round. Because I don’t want to get inside that cage and do a boring fight, you know? I know that I’m going to get that win, but I want to make (it) look easy, this is my goal,” Topuria added. “My goal is to shine inside that cage. It’s not just go in and get the normal win.”
That aggressive and entertainment-focused mindset was on full display in Topuria’s last outing, where he went toe-to-toe with Herbert on the feet, recovering from an early knockdown to secure a brutal second-round KO.
Should he enter the Octagon at UFC 282 with a similar level of violence on his mind, the fans in Las Vegas may be in for a treat.
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 282, Ilia Topuria or Bryce Mitchell?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
