Alex Volkanovski believes Ilia Topuria was rushed into a title fight on the back of his cocky talk and large social media following rather than the strength of the fighters he defeated.
The Australian featherweight champion also says people are overhyping unbeaten Topuria's boxing skills, and says 'The Matador' only has a 'punching chance'.
Volkanovski will make his sixth defense of the featherweight belt when he fights the rowdy Topuria at UFC 298 in Anaheim this weekend.
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria | Sunday, February 18 Order now with the main event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the new exclusive home for boxing and UFC Pay-Per-View events!
While much has been made of Volkanovski's age, the champion says people are not focusing on Topuria's relatively smooth path to his title shot.
“I look at his fights and I say he had a very easy path to the top,” Volkanovski said in the keynote. “These are just facts.
“And they still exaggerate it anyway.
“Right now, it has the hype, and they're talking about it. Beautiful. Maybe it should bother me, but it doesn't. I use it as fuel, but it doesn't bother me.”
Volkanovski worked his way to his first title shot, winning fights across Australia, Idaho, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro.
Along the way, he beat the dangerous Darren Elkins, who was riding an impressive six-fight winning streak at the time.
Faulk then stopped former interim featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes in two rounds, before defeating the “King of Rio”, and former long-time featherweight champion, Jose Aldo in Rio de Janeiro.
Only then did he get his shot at champion Max Holloway.
In comparison, Topuria won his title fight thanks to two wins over Josh Emmett and Bryce Mitchell after a brief move to lightweight in 2022.
Emmett was coming off an interim title defeat to Yair Rodriguez when he lost a one-sided five-round decision to Topuria last June.
Meanwhile, Mitchell is talented but has since gone 1-2, and was the victim of one of the most horrific knockouts in UFC history when Emmett stopped him in the first round last December.
“He's undefeated and has all this hype, but people who really know the game, like me and my team, we understand a lot,” Volkanovski said of Topuria's rise. “We're not just looking at some statistics.
“We're not just looking at him beating Josh Emmett. I don't care about any of that.
“I'm looking at the holes in his game, the things I can exploit and the things he can do better.
“Look at the guys I beat. Chad Mendes, Aldo, Holloway.
“But I guarantee you that people who really understand the game, they just think he has a chance to hit.”
In fairness to Topuria, it packs a powerful punch.
Before making the UFC, the majority of Topuria's wins came via submission. But his reputation really took off when he compiled a string of impressive knockouts in the UFC.
It has many saying Topuria is the best boxer Volkanovski has ever fought, but the Australian laughs it off.
“I don't care if he's the best boxer in the world. This is MMA. Do people forget what sport we play? He said. “You're telling me I only need to worry about the hands, and maybe the double leg?
“Am I supposed to be afraid of that?
“People say, ‘Dude, watch his boxing,’ but do you remember the last guy I fought at featherweight, Yair Rodriguez? He had millions of tools and options that he could throw, and from all these angles and positions and ranges.
“This is a problem. Don’t get me wrong, this guy has a chance to strike, and he can strike, but he has to find me first.
