The loss of one hunter for UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria is aging well.
17 hunters tried to solve the puzzle of Ilia Topuria and 17 failed. A harsh boxer with a Greek-Roman wrestling competition to support him, Topuria has proven himself a difficult man to beat after three fan favorites in a row: Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.
Topuria joined an elite club of two -division champions when he placed former lightweight champion Oliveira in the opening round on UFC 317 last weekend.
There are only two hunters who survived against Topuria in MMA. Josh Emmett, who was praised for his toughness in five rounds, and another featherweight, which could go all the way to the title.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Kenny Florian sees Youssef Zalal as a potential title -Uitdager after the distance going with Ilia Topuria
Youssef Zalal is the first and only hunter to make a three-round decision with Topuria.
Not only that, Zalal came out relatively undamaged Topuria in their fight on UFC Fight Island in October 2020.
It was the promotion debut of Topuria. The future champion received the UFC call in the short term and dealt with COVID-19 prior to his fight with Zalal. Topuria would eventually get his hand in a hard -fought fight and the third round lost to Zalal on the way to a unanimous decision victory.
Zalal is currently at #11 in the UFC Featherweight Division after beating the eternal competition Calvin Kattar. Two-time UFC title Challenger Kenny Florian sees Zalal fighting one day for the UFC title.
“Youssef Zalal, I find it interesting,” said Florian on 3 Punch Convo.
“I think he is a man who can certainly challenge the belt.
“I think people sleep on him. If he puts it all together on a really good night, guy, he is a problem.
“People forget that he all went rounds, fifteen minutes with the big Ilia Topuria.
“That loss looks better and better,” said Florian about Zalal.
Zalal has claimed that he is the 'most difficult matchup' from Topuria.
Kenny Florian says that Mauricio Ruffy is 'intriguing' title threat for Ilia Topuria
Talking about the best hunters outside the top 10, Florian likes what he sees in the non-light weight Mauricio Ruffy.
The ruffy of the Fighting Nerds is 12-1 as a pro and 3-0 in the UFC after brutally fainmenting King Green in a KO of the annual candidate on UFC 313.
Although he does not have a number next to his name, Ruffy is already calling the champion Topuria Post UFC 317 and wants to avenge his Ko'ed Countryman Charles Oliveira.
“Mauricio Ruffy is special,” said Florian about the star of the Fighting Nerds.
“Even when I see him now, with regard to Topuria, however, am I from Topuria?
“Don't know…
“Ruffy, he certainly has something and he is much bigger than Topuria.
“I think as he is developing, that fight is constantly becoming intriguing,” said Florian about Topuria versus Ruffy.
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