"How can you not be a fan of Max Holloway?” - Ilia Topuria goes from heel to humble in unexpected moment of respect for ‘Blessed’

Ilia Topuria has made bold predictions for his upcoming featherweight title fight with Max Holloway at UFC 308. 'El Matador' secured the belt in sensational fashion after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, a prediction he had made prior to their clash.

The swaggering Spaniard stated that he will be the first man to knock Holloway out. With the Hawaiian revered for his granite chin, having famously never been officially knockdown in the UFC, Topuria's prediction has raised the eyebrows of fans and fellow fighters alike.

The 27-year-old recently appeared in front of the media, where he was asked about his interaction with Volkanovski at the UFC 308 fighter hotel. It was the first time the pair had crossed paths since their fight in February, and they shared a respectful exchange.

Topuria made it clear in his answer that while he may be bold in his fighting words, he has nothing but respect for both Holloway and Volkanovski. He said this:

"I always respect Volk, always. Before the fight, after the fight. There was nothing personal, I was only fighting for my dreams. This is the same thing as what's happening this Saturday with Max. I have all the respect for him, he is a great fighter."

He continued:

"You can't take credit away from him, I have learned many things from him. He called me a fan, yeah I followed his career. I've been a fan. How can you not be a fan of Max Holloway? So, he's been a great example for me, but now it's my time to be that example."

Catch Ilia Topuria's unexpected answer below (7:30):

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Ilia Topuria explains why he is certain he will knock Max Holloway out

Ilia Topuria surged through the featherweight rankings with several impressive performances, none more so than his KO win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298.

'El Matador' is eager to display his elite boxing skills once again when he faces Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308, as he predicted a knockout win over the Hawaiian.

During the UFC's Embedded Series, a fight week vlog for pay-per-view events, the 27-year-old explained why he believes he will knock Holloway out. He said this:

"I bring a completely different style. I bring the evolution of mixed martial arts, I'm a different type of fighter. You know, I've improved everywhere in the game. I have everything to be the first one to knock [Holloway] out and it's going to happen...I don't have any doubts about that." [2:00-2:20]

Catch Ilia Topuria's comments below: