ABU DHABI – [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] not only retained his status as UFC featherwieght champion, but he also won a new title, according to him.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) became the first man to stop former UFC champion Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC), as he knocked out the gritty Hawaiian in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 308. Holloway entered the 145-pound championship fight coming off a knockout win over Justin Gaethje, which won him the BMF (Baddest Motherf*cker) title.
The BMF belt was not officially on the line, but Topuria doesn’t care either way. He sees himself as a two-belt title holder.
“I never understand why they didn’t put the BMF title on the line,” Topuria told reporters at the UFC 308 post-fight press conference. “It has to be on the line since the first day. But hey, don’t want to make it official? I’m going to make it official by myself.
“Now I’m the new ‘Baddest Motherf*ker’ world champion.”
Although he shocked many with his performance, Topuria expected to stop Holloway. The only thing he did find surprising is that when he ponted to the ground, Holloway didn’t engage with him in his signature brawl.
“That surprised me that I pointed to the ground, and he didn’t stop in the middle of the octagon,” Topuria said. “He started some bullsh*t like this. You called yourself the bull. When you called me out, you said, ‘I’m the bull and ‘The Matador’ is running from me.’ You never see a bull doing this. That surprised me a little bit, so I had to change the game plan a little bit. But at the end of the day, I get the knockout.”
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.