While Ilia Topuria`s performances inside the octagon are undeniably impressive, it`s his extraordinary confidence and demeanor that have profoundly impacted the MMA community, including veteran UFC commentator Jon Anik. Anik recently shared his thoughts following Topuria`s capture of his second divisional title.
Topuria secured his second championship belt with a stunning knockout victory over former titleholder Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317 last Saturday. Jon Anik was part of the broadcast team in Las Vegas for the event, alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier.
Throughout the lead-up to the fight, Topuria exhibited unwavering certainty, acting as if his victory was a foregone conclusion, even celebrating the title win the night before stepping into the cage. Anik expressed his deep astonishment at Topuria`s complete approach to the fight game.
Reflecting on Topuria`s mindset, Anik remarked, “It`s insane, truly unlike anything I`ve witnessed before.” He continued, “I know sometimes I`m accused of being overly dramatic, but saying he`s just `calm, cool, and collected` doesn`t begin to describe it. He is so matter of fact, as if the outcome is an eventuality against successive Hall of Famers, now a third. I honestly don`t think there`s a comparison.”
Anik drew parallels, saying, “Certainly, there are similarities to Conor McGregor.” However, he noted key differences: “But even the way he behaves after he wins – it`s like he doesn`t even feel the urge to climb the cage. It`s just wild. And that pre-fight celebration… when an athlete says things like, `I`m just going to collect the belt, I won it in training camp,` you naturally think, `Okay, but you still have to show up and perform on fight night. You can`t have an off night.`”
He compared it to other combat sports legends: “We used to say about Floyd Mayweather, 50-0 is 50-0, he was never flat on fight night. You still have to go out there and execute.” But with Topuria, Anik feels, “it is almost as if he bends time.”
Topuria`s current three-fight sequence is among the most impressive in UFC history. This incredible run includes his knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024 to claim the featherweight championship. Eight months later, “El Matador” made history at UFC 308 by becoming the first fighter ever to finish Max Holloway with strikes. Most recently, he stopped Charles Oliveira this past weekend at UFC 317.
The reaction within the arena after the knockout was remarkable. Phumi Nkuta, an LFA flyweight who attended the event with Aljamain Sterling, observed that while the general fan sections erupted in chaos, the area populated by fighters remained notably subdued, even stunned.
Anik wasn`t surprised by this reaction from Topuria`s fellow competitors.
He elaborated on the perspective of other fighters: “Just imagine if you are Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje, or Dustin Poirier, and you`re watching that unfold.” He stressed, “Any fighter with recent history fighting Charles Oliveira from, say 2019 onwards, and then you witness *that*… And don`t tell me this wasn`t a prime Charles Oliveira. If this were The Hunger Games, he`d still be the top contender.”
Anik added, “He`s still as driven as ever to fight. So, consider the impact on some of Ilia Topuria`s contemporaries watching that performance, and I think that explains the stunned silence from the fighter section. As commentators, thankfully, we couldn`t afford to be silent; we had a job to do. But for many observers, myself included, it`s clear you cannot put anything past this guy. I admit, before this result, I questioned his prospects even at welterweight. Now? Goodness, I would never count him out for anything. This Ilia Topuria, he`s truly unique, and his fellow fighters are definitely taking notice.”
Naturally, a significant debate emerging from UFC 317 is whether Topuria has ascended to the No. 1 spot in the pound-for-pound rankings, potentially surpassing Islam Makhachev, the former lightweight champion who vacated his title to move up to welterweight.
Anik acknowledges that this topic is subjective but suggests that while many see the pound-for-pound discussion involving just two fighters, he believes a third competitor warrants consideration.
Anik explained his viewpoint on the rankings: “So, it`s hard for Islam Makhachev to lose his number one position when he hasn`t lost a fight. But isn`t it strange that in this moment, Islam Makhachev is no longer a champion? What did that man do to not hold an undisputed UFC title right now?” He continued, “It`s impossible to argue against what Ilia Topuria has achieved. It`s also very difficult to argue against what Merab Dvalishvili has accomplished. And admittedly, Islam simply hasn`t competed as frequently as Merab or perhaps even Ilia over the past several months.”
Anik concluded, “But honestly, it`s splitting hairs among incredible athletes. As far as I`m concerned, it`s a three-headed monster.” He suggested looking at Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili specifically: “If you just consider Ilia and Merab, setting aside Makhachev – who has been my personal No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter for what feels like years – both Topuria and Dvalishvili have fully capitalized on their opportunities. They`ve maximized their utility. If you prefer highlight-reel knockouts, then Topuria is your guy compared to Merab. But in terms of sheer historical dominance within their division, Merab is right there in the conversation.”
