EXCLUSIVE
‘The full package’ – Ilia Topuria predicted to surpass Alex Pereira and replicate Conor McGregor as next UFC star
Ilia Topuria can surpass Alex Pereira to follow in the footsteps of Conor McGregor and become the UFC’s next star.
That’s according to talkSPORT MMA pundits Adam Catterall and Brendan Loughnane, who believe the sky is the limit for Topuria and his UFC career.
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Topuria was the youngest current UFC champion, until he vacated his featherweight belt last month to move up a division and challenge Islam Makhachev for lightweight gold.
The 28-year-old is undefeated in 16 professional MMA fights, having defeated two UFC legends in Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in his last fights.
“Ilia could be that person,” Catterall said on , discussing the lack of stars currently operating in the UFC.
“I mean, the way that he's operating and the way that he's talking, the way that he carries himself, it does remind me a bit of the Conor vibe, man.
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“It does. So if he can go up and he can take on Islam Makhachev and he can deliver something that maybe Conor delivered in 2016, that's your next superstar for me.”
McGregor lifted the UFC into a different stratosphere when he emerged as the promotion’s biggest star after knocking out Jose Aldo in 2015.
After suffering the first loss of his UFC career to Nate Diaz in his next fight, McGregor then became the first-ever fighter to hold two of the promotion’s titles simultaneously when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez.
Former PFL featherweight champion Loughnane agreed with his co-host, suggesting Topuria offers the ‘full package’.
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“I've been absolutely ranting and raving about this guy from the beginning, I called it,” Loughnane said.
“And I just, he's got that superstardom. He wears the suits. He's a good looking guy.
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"He speaks very well. Like he just, you know, he articulates himself very well.
“He's very confident. He's an incredible fighter all around because we've seen guys come in and have holes in their game.
“He doesn't show any holes. He's got massive amounts of submissions and knockouts, very varied, incredible wrestling. He's the full package. He walks it, he talks it.”
Both men then agreed that a clash between Topuria and Makhachev is one of the biggest fights the UFC could make this year.
Makhachev currently rules the 155-pound division, having defended his strap an impressive four times since defeating Charles Oliveira to win it in 2022.
He made easy work of Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January, submitting the Brazilian in the first round.
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Topuria may have to fight someone like Oliveira before he gets a shot at Makhachev’s strap, but there’s no doubt that will come eventually.
‘El Matador’ has also been linked to fight Dustin Poirier, who will retire after his next bout, which is likely to be in the summer time.
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