Why Kamaru Usman puts UFC champion Ilia Topuria No. 1 pound-for-pound over Islam Makhachev
Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) claimed the lightweight title by knocking out Charles Oliveira (35-11 MMA, 23-11 UFC) in Saturday's main event at T-Mobile Arena. In his past three fights, Topuria has knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira.
Usman thinks Topuria's undeniable run across two divisions makes him the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot over Islam Makhachev – which is what happened after UFC 317.
"I give Ilia Topuria pound-for-pound," Usman said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "I've been pondering that all since I saw that fight. We had a situation like this similar when Alex Pereira was doing what he was doing, but there's a difference here. Alex Pereira wasn't doing that against necessarily the caliber Ilia's doing that against – not just necessarily doing that, not just the caliber, but everything he's putting into this fight.
"I mean, Ilia Topuria dominated Charles Oliveira every facet of the game. Charles went to his wheelhouse. He went to the ground. Ilia Topuria passed his guard and crucified him. Who has showed all the skill sets, all the facets of the game, as well as he has and still put them away with his hands, mano a mano, putting them away?"
By finishing Oliveira, Topuria became the first undefeated fighter to claim UFC titles in two different divisions.
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