Bragging rights: Volkanovski vs Topuria - Who wins and how?

[svmr_db]

Predict the main event for bragging rights! Who wins and by what method of victory? Lock in your pick before it the poll closes!

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Normally I would never pick anyone against Volk at FW, but I just had a premonition, we might see another vicious KO.

Fighters over 35 and under middleweight have title fight record of something like 2-26, Volk is just coming off a vicious KO, he has been rumored to be drinking etc. Not to mention Topuria is an undefeated beast himself.

I really hope Volk pulls it off, but this is the first time i am actually worried for him at FW

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Undecided right now.

Leaning Alex by Decision. But that is not final, and my mind won’t be made up until at least after the ceremonial weigh-ins.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

Volk by championship rounds accumulation of damage TKO.

 

[JoeRowe]

I think its going to be a very competitive fight. I can see Ilia hurting him at some point but Volk wins a close controversial decision by being more versatile & crafty.

 

[Lights Out 101]

I've flipped back on forth on this ever since the fight was announced. I initially picked Illia, I've now switched to Volk by decision or stoppage. Getting Costa/Adesanya vibes here where the undefeated fighter is shown levels.

 

[Oz.Pride]

Volk mauls him on the feet in round 1. Avoiding everything and countering with three or four and damaging the legs, Volk ends up on top like vs Islam I in round five. Clear 10-8 that was very nearly stopped.

Does the same in round 2 but gets top position earlier and the gnp gets nasty. Ilia is saved by the ref from the Volksmash. Volk wins by TKO Ref stoppage. ROUND 2 3.55

 

[Contempt]

I may be wrong but I think Volk is going to make him look really bad... like Volk/Max 3 levels of bad but I don't think the kid has Max's chin so I'm picking Volk via TKO.

 

[Khaosan]

Volk will negate Topuria’s boxing by intelligently controlling the range by being all the way out using kicks or all the way in with clinching and takedowns against the cage.

I see Volk playing this game and wearing on Topuria until the championship rounds and eventually getting the TKO with ground and pound once Topuria realizes his confidence was unfounded and he wilts.

 

[gentel]

Heart on Volk, wallet on Topuria

IMO the factors such as 35y/o, the Islam head kick KO, the fact that he took that fight rather than fully rehab from his elbow surgery, etc all bode poorly for Volk's chances of winning. I'm predicting Topuria by TKO

 

[Luthien]

Volk will win by decision

 

[JustBreed]

Normally I would never pick anyone against Volk at FW, but I just had a premonition, we might see another vicious KO.

Fighters over 35 and under middleweight have title fight record of something like 2-26, Volk is just coming off a vicious KO, he has been rumored to be drinking etc. Not to mention Topuria is an undefeated beast himself.

I really hope Volk pulls it off, but this is the first time i am actually worried for him at FW

Rumoured to be drinking this camp? Is there a source? Or are you referring to his comments about the lead up to Islam 2

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Rumoured to be drinking this camp? Is there a source? Or are you referring to his comments about the lead up to Islam 2

Ah was just referring the the comments about drinking during the Islam camp. I really hope he didn't drink this camp and comes in 100 percent

 

[CieloLuce]

I got Volk by tko. Topuria has cardio issues especially when he thinks he can finish a guy. Volk will utilize his grappling to tire him out.

 

[Larzon]

Volk by tko in round 3 or 4. He's going to melt him

 

[World eater]

I’m undecided between Volk by decision or Volk by rd 3 tko. If you are a betting man and reading this, I am almost always wrong with guesses and you should bet differently.

 

[Fjord]

Volk by TKO in 3rd or by decision.

 

[dildos]

Volk decision imo.

I’d love to see volk finish topuria but I feel he will take the same approach he had for the max fights. Specially the third max fight.

 

[Domitian]

I know the questions about Volk's age seems like a bit of a joke but I think it's a real concern. We know what the stats look like. Coming off a KO loss doesn't really help the situation either.

On the other side Topuria is an undefeated, young, and hungry fighter coming in with a very high confidence level. I have to go with Ilia by KO.

 

[Question]

I would pick Volk if this was a few months ago, but lately I'm not liking what I'm seeing/hearing.
He's over 35(the curse age), has almost 30 fights to his name(ton of mileage), coming off a brutal KO loss just a few months back and has been jumping around divisions frequently which takes a toll on the body overtime.

There's also the drinking which isn't too, too bad, however it does seem like he went through a stage of being depressed since the UFC weren't giving him another fight in 2023.
So yeah as sad as I am to say it, Topuria round one KO