A UFC veteran believes Ilia Topuria is already drawing comparisons to the legendary Jon Jones.
At UFC 317, Topuria secured the vacant lightweight title with another dominant knockout victory over Charles Oliveira.
His successful transition to the 155-pound division has significantly boosted his profile, positioning Topuria at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
This recent string of wins by `El Matador` has prompted some to question whether he should now be included in the greatest of all time (GOAT) discussion.
While some speculate Topuria might not have a long career ahead, a record-holding UFC veteran believes the undefeated star could potentially surpass the consensus GOAT in one specific area.
- An MMA legend suggested the UFC made a mistake by not allowing Ilia Topuria to potentially hold three belts.
Matt Brown Suggests Ilia Topuria`s Current Streak Might Be Superior to Any Jon Jones Run
On the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s ‘The Fighter vs. The Writer’ podcast, Matt Brown shared his views on Ilia Topuria’s recent performances inside the Octagon.
Brown, who announced his retirement in May of last year, holds the record for the most knockouts in the welterweight division with 13, ranking just two behind Derrick Lewis for the overall UFC record.
Brown believes Topuria is now entering the conversation for the greatest of all time and pointed out one factor that might distinguish `El Matador` from Jon Jones.
“The guy’s right on the verge. I looked through some of Jones’ resume, and I was comparing some of the three fight runs that he went on, which he went on an undefeated run, but I’m not sure you compare them to this with Ilia. Maybe hindsight is 20/20, but I don’t know it’s as good as this run that Ilia is on.”
Brown, who prefers to see Topuria face Arman Tsarukyan next instead of Paddy Pimblett, acknowledges that matching Jones’ career longevity at the top would be incredibly challenging, but notes that Jones wasn`t always fighting the absolute best competition.
Given that the lightweight division, and potentially welterweight if Topuria moves up, is historically one of the most talent-stacked in the sport, Topuria may not face this same issue.
“I want to see the run keep going,” Brown stated. “That’s my biggest criticism of Jon Jones. He did eventually kind of taper off in terms of level of competition. I want to see Ilia go fight the baddest dudes and just see if he’s all that.”
He added, “If he can beat Arman next, that’s a pretty strong seal right there, especially I guess he probably won’t get the Islam [Makhachev] fight depending on what happens with him and [Jack] Della Maddalena. Outside of moving up to 170, Arman is the one that makes the most sense in terms of greatness.”
- Ilia Topuria clarified details about his face-off with Paddy Pimblett after Dana White`s comments.
Matt Brown Prioritizes Legacy Fight Against Tsarukyan Over Bigger Pimblett Matchup for Ilia Topuria
While Matt Brown understands the commercial appeal of Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett, he still advocates for Arman Tsarukyan as the next opponent to bolster Topuria`s legacy.
In Brown’s opinion, a victory over Tsarukyan would be even more impactful than his recent win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.
Many observers would agree that defeating the division`s number one contender is a more impressive feat for Topuria`s resume. However, following their recent face-off inside the cage, a fight with Pimblett appears to be the direction the UFC is heading.
“It sounds like it’s probably going to be set with [Paddy Pimblett] and it’s going to be a gigantic fight,” Brown commented. “I’m going to argue to the end it should be Arman. I want to see that fight. I think if Ilia goes out and beats Arman, it certainly adds to the argument that he is the greatest ever.”
