JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Elijah Topuria believes a win over Josh Emmett in the Ultimate Fighting Championship this Saturday on ABC 5 will serve as his stepping stone to the featherweight title.
Topuria (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) is competing in his first octagon title when he meets Emmett (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in a main match for the 145-pound division, which takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and airs on ABC after Premieres on ESPN and ESPN+. With an impeccable record so far in his tenure in the UFC, Topuria believes he has put in the work to be a title contender.
If he beats Emmett, Topuria argues his resume is taken, and he should receive a crack at UFC gold.
“I’m the next guy in line,” Topuria told MMA Junkie and other UFC reporters Wednesday on ABC 5’s media day. “Who is more worthy than me to fight for the title? Nobody else. So I’m the next guy.”
The timing of a possible Topuria win could be perfect. The featherweight title unification bout between champ Aleksandr Volkanovski and interim champion Yair Rodriguez takes place on July 8 at UFC 290, and there’s no clear next man on deck.
Topuria expects it to be him, and hopes it will be Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC) who undisputedly owns the bar instead of Rodriguez (15-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC).
“I will take him out in the first round,” said Topuria. “Of course it’s a little bigger if you beat someone who pays pound for pound No. 1. It’s bigger than if Yair beat him, and I beat Yair. Because Yair has lost a lot of fights with a lot of ranked guys – with Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar. He’s lost a lot of fights.” I’d rather fight against Alex than win against him.”
Although Topuria discusses the stakes involved in victory, he makes it clear that he has no respect for Emmett. Topuria said he knows he has a difficult task at hand on Saturday, but he’s in no doubt about the outcome, which is why he’s okay with talking about everything else.
“I don’t condone anyone,” Topuria said. “Absolutely. I’m confident about all the work I do, how hard I work, everything I do in all training camps. Confidence doesn’t come from the air. I work hard, and I know I’m better than anyone else.”
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