UFC color commentator Daniel Cormier voices concern over the recent coach switch by Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC 317
Ilia Topuria and Daniel Cormier (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Former
featherweight champion
Ilia Topuria
is gearing up well for his second title conquest within the lightweight division against
Charles Oliveira
at
UFC 317
. Since the time he vacated the featherweight title, the fighter is quite confident about achieving his next target, which is the
lightweight title
. While the preparation accordingly goes on, Topuria recently made a shocking move that has shocked the entire community and generated significant reaction from some of the prominent figures of the sport, including
Daniel Cormier
.
Daniel Cormier credits the Climent team with being the backbone of Ilia Topuria's successful UFC journey till now
With an undefeated record of 16-0, the Georgian fighter initially called out the then-lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, for a title bout. However, there was no concrete response from the latter's team, even though time and again, Makhachev's coach and training partners stated that the Dagestani fighter is not interested in the bout. Later, Makhachev expressed his interest in moving up the weight category but was hesitant to do so because his long-time training partner, Belal Muhammad, was the then-welterweight champion.
UFC 315 changed all the dynamics after Muhammad lost to Jack Della Maddalena in the main event. With Muhammad no longer being the welterweight champion, it was convenient for Makhachev to move up the weight category, following which Ilia Topuria got his long-awaited title shot at the vacant lightweight championship against Charles Oliveira.
While this is a crucial phase of Topuria's career, as he plans to bring his pro-MMA record to 17-0, the fighter made a shocking change ahead of his bout at UFC 317. In the process of preparing for his clash against Oliveira, Topuria parted ways with his previous coaches, Jorge and
Augustin Climent
.
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The decision has been a major shock for the community as well as the fans of the sport. A veteran figure from the sport, UFC Hall of Famer and current color commentator Daniel Cormier, also resorted to his YouTube channel while expressing his concerns for the fighter.
'Ilia Topuria wants to fight Islam Makhachev but needs to get through Charles Oliveira first, especially when we're hearing that he and his team are kind of going in separate directions.
Just because of the schedule, they said there's no bad blood.' Cormier went on to express his concern.
'I really don't know how at this point, a month before what will be your opportunity to win a second title, how much effect that will have on Team Topuria. If I'm Ilia, I'm still just using those guys,' Cormier continued. 'Because even if I have to do my training camp with someone else, I know that those guys know me so well, that if they can get with me for a week, two weeks, we're still so aligned, especially if there's no bad blood.
'
Daniel Cormier REACTS to Islam Makhachev NOT DUCKING Ilia Topuria, Tom Aspinall fed up w/ Jon Jones
Cormier credits the former team of Topuria for enabling him to receive numerous accolades 'This is the team that got Ilia from a young, young man, to being undefeated and a UFC champion. Beating the two greatest featherweights of all time! So to have that familiarity, is very important to an athlete…to me, that's a little bit odd.'
Also read:
'Incoming khamzat crying spree' - Fans speculate mental war as Khamzat Chimaev takes an unapologetic shot at Dricus Du Plessis' coaches
The rationale behind Topuria's sudden change in his strategy has not been explained yet. While members of the
MMA community
and fans are eagerly waiting to see how the results yield out, only time will tell who between Topuria and Oliveira shall claim the vacant lightweight title.
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