Ilia Topuria has been labelled the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time, surpassing Jon Jones, by one of his biggest UFC rivals.
Since his debut in 2020, Topuria has looked every bit a future superstar. His performances have only added to that impression.
His status was further solidified when he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to claim the featherweight title and stay unbeaten.
Topuria’s star power reached new heights earlier this year when he stopped Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to become lightweight champion, making a strong case as the biggest name in combat sports today.
Sean O’Malley backs Topuria over Jon Jones as the best of all time
Topuria’s rise has been fuelled by his confidence. He has never shied away from backing himself against anyone, and even picked a feud with boxing champion Terence Crawford.
There was a time when it felt like a match-up with Sean O’Malley was inevitable. Back then, O’Malley was still bantamweight champion and considering a move to featherweight.
Even after losing his title to Merab Dvalishvili, O’Malley made it clear he was not done chasing that matchup, saying he would work his way back up for a shot at Topuria.
Lately though, despite their history, ‘Suga’ has been more complimentary than confrontational. Speaking on his own YouTube channel, he said:
“Ilia is pound-for-pound the greatest fighter to ever walk this earth. The greatest fighter pound-for-pound, ever.”
“Yeah, even over Jon Jones I think,” he added. “Dude, his last three fights: KO’s Volkanovski, KO’s Max Holloway, KO’s Charles Oliveira. He’s not beating guys by decision; he’s not taking them down and holding them down; these guys can’t get up – he’s knocking them out. It’s f—— sweet.”
Could Topuria go down as the greatest fighter of all time?
The argument for Topuria being the greatest ever is not outlandish when you look at what he has achieved so far in his career.
His CV speaks for itself: undisputed champion in two different weight classes while remaining undefeated and only aged 28 years old.
Still, the Spaniard has yet to reach the pinnacle of his career. He is still in his early prime, with many fights ahead before he can be considered the greatest ever.
With fans persistently advocating for a bout between Topuria and former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, a victory for ‘El Matador’ in such a high-profile encounter would undoubtedly elevate his standing in the eyes of many.