Las Vegas — During International Fight Week’s UFC X, Josh Emmett was on hand to give his thoughts on Ilia Topuria, and what comes next for the now-lightweight’s old home of 145lbs, where Emmett plies his trade.
Topuria claimed gold at UFC 317 just over a week ago, and Emmett has spent 25 minutes in the cage with the new double-champ himself.
“He’s just well-rounded, you know. He was a dominant champion at featherweight. He’s good everywhere,” Emmett (19-5) said of “El Matador,” the latest UFC fighter to claim a belt in a second weight class. “He has great boxing, so he has good footwork. He always has good position. He’s fast, precise and accurate. He did really well at featherweight, and now he’s trying to do what most people have not been able to accomplish, or only very few have, he wants to become a two-time champion.”
Mission accomplished for Topuria. As for Emmett, who says he’s feeling better now than he was a few years ago, he has something of a side quest of his own. The 40-year old told us that “I want to be the new Tom Brady of MMA.”
With Alexander Volkanovski reclaiming gold at 145lbs earlier this year, the title picture at featherweight is murky. Yair Rodriguez was looked at as a potential title challenger despite coming off just a single win (over Bellator star Patricio Pitbull), while the winner of another Bellator arrival, Aaron Pico, versus Movsar Evloev, is also in the mix. Evloev is undefeated at 19-0, though his style and lack of finishes have seemingly held him back.
“I think Movsar has earned it. If you go off of a merit system instead of a popularity contest, guy’s undefeated,” Emmett said when asked for his opinion on who should be up next. “He may not be the most exciting fighter, but he’s getting wins, he’s ranked #4. So I think he deserves it instead of someone coming off a one-fight winning streak, or someone coming into the picture that is making their debut in the UFC. If you get one big fight or one big win, you do not deserve a title fight in the UFC, if you’re new to this establishment.”
That no doubt would be a reference to Pico, who has been looked at as a future champion for years, but who has yet to face the best the UFC has to offer. Still, noted Emmett, “it’s all up to the UFC brass and the matchmakers.”
As for his own return, “I would like to fight soon, but I feel like I’m in this weird limbo because everyone that is in my division, they all have fights right now,” noted Emmett. He’s hoping something comes together in the next few weeks, in terms of getting a date booked. “Hopefully you guys will see me sooner than later.”
Watch our full interview with UFC featherweight Josh Emmett above.
