Ilia Topuria returns to the cage this Saturday at UFC London. The 25-year-old Spanish-Georgian does so after overcoming the hardest sporting blow to date. He was scheduled to fight on the main card of UFC 270 in January, but hours before the weigh-in, doctors prevented him from continuing with the weight cut. “It was a hard blow, things had changed… but there are no possible shortcuts other than eating little and suffering to cut the weight. However, I believe a lot in destiny and I always try to get things positiveyes Here there have also been, “acknowledges the fighter in the podcast, from AS Audio, ‘KO on the Run‘.
Everything happens for a reason. So it was. After falling off that billboard, Topuria’s manager received the call from Dana White: I wanted to see you in Las Vegas. Ilia flew there and had a meeting with the head of the company. The UFC sees a diamond in the rough and made them see it. LIt will allow him to fight at light weight and rank in featherweight. They want to see him in action more often and they know that going at his natural weight would prevent him, since he needs a lot of time to recover the body from the drop. Therefore, they offered him this plan. “I feel very grateful and care for them. Currently I only know of one fighter (Khamzat Chimaev) who has this ‘privilege’. The other one is me”, he affirms. Without a doubt, it is a very big reinforcement to his progression (undefeated in 11 fights and with 10 finishes).
That problem is already past for Topuria, who looks very ambitious to this Saturday. “I arrive in London like an animal. By not having to cut so much weight I am very strong. I will prove it and make my rival look like someone who has never trained in his life“, he snaps. In the English capital awaits Jay Herbert (11-3), a great puncher (82%) and that is a tough test, but Ilia exudes confidence. “It’s not a secret that my plan is to take him to the ground. There you will have two options: hold on and take a beating or surrender and give me a submission. That I gain weight will not make any difference in his favor, “he concludes. Morale is intact. The ‘Matador’ wants his redemption in London.
Aspinall seeks confirmation in his first star
The main fight of the night faces Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall. The 33-year-old Russian is one of the names that never comes down from the top positions of the heavyweight ranking. This Saturday he will measure a new promise, Tom Aspinall. The 28-year-old Englishman starts from number 11 in the ranking. He is measured at 6 in his first star. The one from Salford is a born finisher (82% of victories by KO and 18% finished) and will seek to show that the hopes for him are not in vain. At the moment he is an underdog in the bets, He is facing his biggest challenge and that is that Volkov is one of the most complete great weights. ‘Drago’ will seek to spoil the party and Aspinall have it. London will vibrate with them.