Din Thomas likes UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria’s chances even at welterweight.
After two title defenses as featherweight champion, Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) moved up to lightweight and knocked out Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant belt at UFC 317.
Topuria said he’d even be willing to move up to 170 pounds to chase after Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC), who challenges Jack Della Maddalena for the title later in the year. Thomas wouldn’t be against the idea of Topuria jumping another weight class.
“He’s so clean,” Thomas said of Topuria on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel. “It’s his technique, and it’s not necessarily just his power like he’s bench pressing all this weight. His technique is so clean that when he’s hitting guys, and he’s hitting them right on the spot, they can’t hold up. I believe that he’ll knock out anybody from anywhere up until 170. I do believe his power will translate into 170.”
Even against Makhachev?
“I think he beats Islam,” Thomas said. “I always thought he could beat Islam. Here’s why: I think Islam had struggled in the (Alexander) Volkanovski fight. The very first Volkanovski fight, he struggled with getting underneath Alexander Volkanovski.
“Islam struggled to get underneath him to be able to take him down. He’s going to have a hard time getting underneath Topuria. He’s going to have a hard time getting underneath Topuria to take him down. If you don’t take him down, he’s getting knocked out.”
