Frankie Edgar would love to see Justin Gaethje pull the upset against Ilia Topuria, but knows it won’t be easy.
Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) set himself up for a title-unification bout against Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) after defeating Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 to claim the interim belt.
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UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has ran through his recent opposition, with his past three wins coming in knockouts over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holllway, and Charles Oliveira.
“I think Justin, just based on the type of fighter that he is, he could put anybody away,” Edgar told MMA Junkie. “He has the power and the grit and the balls to stand there and swing with anybody. So yeah, I do think it’s a possibility. If you weigh the odds, the odds are definitely in Topuria’s favor. He’s got dynamite in his hands. He’s super technical.
“I wouldn’t say Gaethje isn’t technical – he’s maybe just not as clean as Topuria. So I don’t know if Topuria can find these holes. Obviously, I’m buddies with Gaethje and would love for him to go out there and get Topuria, get his hand raised, and walk away like a champ. That would be an amazing story, but it’s a tall mountain to climb.”
Edgar agrees with the notion that Topuria is currently the best boxer in the UFC.
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“He just looks different than everyone else,” Edgar said of Topuria. “His balance is the best, his feet are always in position. He sits down on his punches, doesn’t try to knock you out. He just hits naturally hard. I think he probably always hit hard and it was kind of a gift, but with his technique on top of it, his speed, his timing – I mean, he’s a hammer.”
To hear more from Edgar, check out his complete appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Frankie Edgar admits Ilia Topuria tough task for Justin Gaethje
