Ilia Topuria (image via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Max Holloway’s last-second, knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 still has the sports world buzzing. But, Ilia Topuria apparently wasn’t impressed with what he witnessed.

Holloway outscored Gaethje throughout the “BMF” title fight, and with the fight nearing it’s end, he called on the lightweight contender to exchange in the center of the cage. With one second left, Holloway put Gaethje away with a booming right.

The clip has been firing around the internet and social media since. But, while speaking with ESPN Deportes’ Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Topuria had this to say about the fight (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“Well, it was good. Nothing special to be honest,” Topuria said. “The ending was only an exchange of punches without any strategy. Both just throwing punches. Zero defense, hands down, and that kind of things can happen but that is something that would never happen with me because I think inside the octagon.”

The featherweight champ also doesn’t foresee having a difficult time against Holloway, if and when the fight happens.

“He is a really easy fight as usual,” Topuria said. “I know people will come at me for saying this. This is what I think. I don’t see anything special. He is basic. Too basic. That’s what I see.

“He doesn’t know what to do when he is under pressure, can’t walk backward. Everybody is good when they have time to think. When you can walk forward, when they let you do whatever you want. Everyone is good there, but when you have someone who thinks, who counters, who attacks, who closes the angles, who throws power punches, is accurate, who can also wrestle, can take you to the ground, has an unbreakable mentality, undefeated … Things get very complicated.”

Topuria (15-0) won the featherweight title in February by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in the second round.

Holloway (26-7), meanwhile, has won three straight now since he was defeated by Volkanovski for a third time in 2022.

Saturday’s UFC 300 card took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.