Tom Aspinall has praised Ilia Topuria as a rising force in mixed martial arts ahead of Topuria’s upcoming Charles Oliveira UFC title fight at UFC 317. The bout, scheduled for this weekend, will see Topuria challenge for the vacant lightweight championship, highlighting the significance of this matchup in the sport.
Topuria, who is known for his striking power and grappling skills, aims to capture the lightweight title and solidify his position as a two-division champion after vacating his featherweight belt earlier this year. The Spanish-Georgian fighter has not held back in expressing confidence, taking shots at Oliveira while looking to repeat his impressive knockout performances from recent events.
Tom Aspinall’s High Praise for Ilia Topuria’s MMA Skills
During a recent episode of Fight Lab on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel, Tom Aspinall offered an enthusiastic assessment of Topuria’s potential, describing his skill set and impact on the sport. Aspinall emphasized Topuria’s powerful striking and effective grappling combination, which he believes elevates Topuria to one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in MMA today.
”He’s [Ilia Topuria] got devastating power. Great grappling as well, links everything together so well. Great for the sport – obviously, Georgian slash Spanish guy, so he’s mixing up nationalities. For me, he’s the future of MMA. He’s the next step.”
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
Topuria’s aggressive fighting style shocked the MMA community when he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 last year to claim the featherweight title. He then defended the belt successfully at UFC 308 with a historic knockout of former champion Max Holloway, marking a first in Holloway’s career. These performances have cemented Topuria’s reputation as a powerful and versatile competitor.
In contrast, Tom Aspinall recently attained undisputed heavyweight champion status following Jon Jones’ retirement announcement at UFC Baku, further shifting the landscape of UFC champions.
Ilia Topuria Addresses Jon Jones’ Retirement and Speculation
Jon Jones’ sudden retirement surprised many fans and insiders, especially as there was anticipation of a heavyweight title unification fight with Aspinall. Ilia Topuria weighed in on this development during an interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, offering his perspective on whether Jones was avoiding his potential challengers.
”Jon has done so many great things in the sport. He fought the best of the best in the last ten years. So, I don’t think he’s ducking anyone. He just wants to retire. He’s tired, maybe, of the game or whatever, and he wants to retire. I don’t think he’s ducking anyone because you can find a guy always that’s [new], ‘He’s the next one [to beat Jones].’ Even if he beats Tom Aspinall, there’s gonna be someone new.”
—Ilia Topuria, UFC Lightweight Contender
Topuria’s comments reflect the ongoing uncertainty and constant evolution within the UFC heavyweight and lightweight divisions, as new challengers emerge with each retirement and title change.
As the UFC 317 main event approaches, all eyes remain on the Charles Oliveira UFC title fight, which will determine the next lightweight champion and potentially reshape the division. Topuria’s ability to replicate his knockout success and claim the belt will establish him as a dominant force, confirming the claims of fighters like Aspinall who see him as the future of MMA.