What if Max Holloway drags Ilia Topuria into deep waters?

Aljamain Sterling sees cardio as an enormous query mark in UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria’s sport.

Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) makes his first title protection in opposition to Max Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) within the UFC 308 headliner Oct. 26 at Etihad Area in Abu Dhabi (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).

Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski within the second spherical to assert the title at UFC 298. Sterling thinks Volkanovski had early success earlier than getting caught.

“Topuria is a savage, the man can crack, however he struggled with Volkanovski within the first spherical,” Sterling mentioned on “Verse Us with Eric Nicksick“. “And if Volk caught to his Ps and Qs, simply doing what he was doing that helped him win the primary spherical – lengthy jab, inside leg kick, use your footwork, have Topuria swinging at you and lacking, or simply barely grazing you, however getting out of the best way and touchdown the higher pictures. He was beginning to put on it on his face. His eye, his nostril, busted him up.

“Then he tries to alternate with Topuria on the cage and will get knocked out. Enter Max Holloway: nice footwork, excessive guard, lengthy punches. He has a shorter attain than Volkanovski, however his footwork is what helps him a lot in his fights, and he’s received nice sturdiness. So if he will get again to his kicking sport and stays in his vary – Topuria, I believe, is 5’6,” perhaps 5’7.” Max has a shorter attain for a man at 145 kilos. I believe it’s like 67, 68 (inches). Topuria’s received nice grappling, however Max has nice takedown protection.”

Holloway, who’s by no means been knocked out, is understood for his sturdiness. He has prevailed in quite a few five-round wars, however Sterling wonders if Topuria may do the identical if he’s dragged to deep waters.

“If Max may keep on his bike and contact him from the skin, it might be very attention-grabbing to see what occurs within the later rounds,” Sterling mentioned. “We haven’t seen Topuria exhausted or drained but. In Spherical 5 with Josh Emmett, he was within the driver’s seat the entire time, however what occurs if you happen to may set just a little fatigue in him?

“Him having some failed takedown makes an attempt, or even when he will get the takedowns and Max can get again up, it makes the struggle very attention-grabbing the place he begins to make use of up much more power than anticipated. He’s all the time in your face with these spinning again kicks. If Max will get again to the old-school Max, it’s a really intriguing struggle.”

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