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Ilia Topuria credits Paddy Pimblett for beating Michael Chandler at UFC 314, but doesn't rate Chandler very highly.
Pimblett finished Chandler by Round 3 TKO in this past Saturday's lightweight co-main event at Kaseya Center in Miami. Newly minted lightweight and former featherweight champion Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) praised Pimblett, but questions Chandler's resume in the UFC.
"He did a great job," Topuria said of Pimblett on "The Joe Rogan Experience." "He did what he had to do, but for me, I'm going to be completely honest with you. For me, Chandler, he never was an extraordinary fighter. He was like an average-level fighter. Who did he beat in the UFC? So he beat Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, when he (Ferguson) was almost 40 years old."
Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) has earned five bonuses in his octagon tenure, and has never failed to put on exciting fights. Topuria says that while Chandler is entertaining, he doesn't see him as a technical fighter.
"At the end of the day, you see wars," Topuria said. "It's a very competitive fight. You see almost a bar fight. You see two guys in the middle of the octagon exchanging punches, but you don't see technique, you don't see skills. You see a great fight, because as fans, it's very entertaining to watch fights like that. But if you really think about it, you don't see skills in that fight.
"You don't see someone trying to take you down, control you, some great submissions, great transitions, striking, see a guy that's looking for combinations, looking for his moment, creating spaces. It's just wild dogs, and that's cool. You need guys also like him. I never would recommend to someone, 'Watch this guy and learn something.'"
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 314: Ilia Topuria reacts to Paddy Pimblett's big win
Continue reading...
Pimblett finished Chandler by Round 3 TKO in this past Saturday's lightweight co-main event at Kaseya Center in Miami. Newly minted lightweight and former featherweight champion Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) praised Pimblett, but questions Chandler's resume in the UFC.
"He did a great job," Topuria said of Pimblett on "The Joe Rogan Experience." "He did what he had to do, but for me, I'm going to be completely honest with you. For me, Chandler, he never was an extraordinary fighter. He was like an average-level fighter. Who did he beat in the UFC? So he beat Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, when he (Ferguson) was almost 40 years old."
Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) has earned five bonuses in his octagon tenure, and has never failed to put on exciting fights. Topuria says that while Chandler is entertaining, he doesn't see him as a technical fighter.
"At the end of the day, you see wars," Topuria said. "It's a very competitive fight. You see almost a bar fight. You see two guys in the middle of the octagon exchanging punches, but you don't see technique, you don't see skills. You see a great fight, because as fans, it's very entertaining to watch fights like that. But if you really think about it, you don't see skills in that fight.
"You don't see someone trying to take you down, control you, some great submissions, great transitions, striking, see a guy that's looking for combinations, looking for his moment, creating spaces. It's just wild dogs, and that's cool. You need guys also like him. I never would recommend to someone, 'Watch this guy and learn something.'"
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 314: Ilia Topuria reacts to Paddy Pimblett's big win
Continue reading...
