Topuria Says He Could Not Bring Himself to Hit Volkanovski Again

Alexander Volkanovski wants a rematch with Ilia Topuria at 155 pounds. Topuria has now answered, and the answer leans toward no.

What Topuria said

Topuria spoke to MMA journalist Alvaro Colmenero. "Honestly, I respect him so much, and I've grown so fond of him that I couldn't hit him," he said of Volkanovski.

He did not stop there. He said some things he simply does not want to do, and asked what the point would be. He accepted that it could be very competitive, and added that beating Volkanovski once does not mean Volkanovski cannot beat him.

Best featherweight in history

Topuria went further in praise. In his words, Volkanovski is the best featherweight in history, the most dominant and the one who stayed longest at the top. By comparison, Topuria said he held the title only briefly before leaving the division.

He also listed what he had done himself: he beat Volkanovski, beat Max Holloway, and knocked out an opponent in a division where that fighter had never been knocked out. Even so, he said Volkanovski's record over the years shows he has accomplished much more.

Volkanovski's lightweight options

Volkanovski is the UFC featherweight champion. After beating Movsar Evloev at UFC 333, he could be moving up to lightweight. His main target there is champion Justin Gaethje, whom he keeps asking for a super fight, meaning a bout between champions of different weight classes. Gaethje has not said whether he will keep fighting or retire.

If Gaethje takes one more fight before hanging up the gloves, that meeting could happen. Topuria is a different case: he lost to Gaethje earlier this year at UFC Freedom 250, and Volkanovski has asked him for a lightweight rematch too.

The two have exchanged compliments since their UFC 298 featherweight title fight. Topuria handed Volkanovski the lone defeat of his featherweight career, and Volkanovski still has a chip on his shoulder about it.

Source: BJPenn.com