UFC Champ Predicts Danger for Justin Gaethje Against 'Sharp' Ilia Topuria

Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria (Photo by Imagn Images)

UFC Champ Predicts Danger for Justin Gaethje Against 'Sharp' Ilia Topuria

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated May 29, 2026 4:29 AM ET

Ilia Topuria’s punching power is unmatchable, as he has knocked out some of the best fighters in the UFC. Additionally, with his high power, Topuria is also very technical, which is a brutal combination. Talking about that, UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski praised “El Matador’s” sharpness and timing ahead of the Justin Gaethje fight.

The lightweight champion is defending his belt for the first time against Gaethje at the White House card. The fight is hyped, as the Spanish fighter has become one of the biggest stars in the sport. In a recent video, Volkanovski predicted the outcome for Topuria vs. Gaethje, saying:

“Ilia’s got a great eye, he’s very sharp, and he’s got power. Ilia can put Gaethje’s lights out. It just depends what Gaethje turns out like. If he’s overly aggressive thinking that I need to just take my chance straight away.”

Alexander Volkanovski praises Ilia Topuria’s sharpness and timing ahead of the Justin Gaethje fight

“Ilia’s got a great eye, he’s very sharp, and he’s got power. Ilia can put Gaethje’s lights out. It just depends what Gaethje turns out like. If he’s overly aggressive thinking… pic.twitter.com/CHNu7RsS5D
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) May 29, 2026

Volkanovski warned that if Gaethje came in too aggressively, looking for an early finish, Topuria could capitalize instantly and shut his lights out. Meanwhile, with top-class striking, the 29-year-old had knocked out fighters who had never been knocked out before.

Ilia Topuria Says He Already Knew He’d Become the First Man to Knock Out Max Holloway

Ilia Topuria had built one of the most dangerous resumes in MMA after knocking out stars like Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. Reflecting on the Holloway fight, Topuria revealed he knew he would become the first fighter to knock out the former BMF champion. Talking about it in a recent interview with VicBlends, “El Matador” said:

“I was like, listen, we are not gonna go the 5th round. More specifically, the last 10 seconds, because I’m gonna finish you before that. So why don’t we do something that you do in the last 10 seconds, in the first 10 seconds?”

Ilia Topuria says as soon as Max Holloway did his gesture rather than stand and trade, he knew he was going to knock him out

“I was like, listen, we are not gonna go the the 5th round. More specifically, the last 10 seconds because I’m gonna finish you before that.

So why… pic.twitter.com/7x11SUOuoB
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) May 27, 2026

Topuria explained that he intentionally challenged Holloway to exchange shots much earlier than usual. Now, the lightweight champion is preparing for another massive test against Justin Gaethje, with many fans expecting yet another highlight-reel finish.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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