Abu Dhabi – UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is well aware he’s facing one of the greatest champions of all time in Max Holloway at UFC 308 on Saturday night.
He’s just not buying into the lore, and isn’t worried about whether or not he’s gotten under Holloway’s skin.
“I never thought about that to be honest, and I don’t care,” Topuria told reporters on Wednesday.
“I will be in his skin this Saturday. That’s for sure.”
Topuria (15-0) has said a lot about Holloway and the fight leading into Saturday’s main event. One thing he’s said is that he’ll be pointing to the ground early in the fight urging Holloway to stand and throw with him in the middle of the octagon.
Holloway said earlier during media day that Topuria hadn’t earned a ‘point down’ moment just yet.
“I never asked him if I deserved that or not. I will be pointing to the ground since the first second of the fight. If he wants to stay with me in the middle it’s ok, and prove that he’s the real BMF. If he decides (not to) it’s ok too. I’m going to find a different way to finish him and take his head off,” he said.
Topuria will look to take out one of the featherweight kings after taking the title from the former champion Alexander Volkanovski. Volkanovski has said he hopes Holloway wins because he believes he’d be more willing to defend his title in Australia than Topuria.
“Listen if that makes him feel happy thinking that maybe I would go to Australia that’s ok,” he said.
“That’s never going to happen. I’m the champion, and if you want to fight for a title again it has to be in Madrid instead of fighting in Australia. Why would I give you that advantage?”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Ilia Topuria above. He defends his title at UFC 308 against Max Holloway on Saturday night.
