SI’s MMA Notes, Quotes, and Anecdotes runs every week.
Ilia Topuria is about to enter the top five of the featherweight division, an accomplishment Josh Emmett made him earn.
Topuria defeated Emmett by unanimous decision Saturday, with a scorecard (50–42, 50–44, 49–45) rarely seen at this high a level in the sport. But Emmett refused to relent, pushing forward despite and withstanding enormous pressure as Topuria controlled all five rounds.
“I was surprised by his toughness,” says Topuria. “I was supposed to knock him out in the first or second round, but the guy was really tough.”
It is hard to preserve an undefeated record, yet that is exactly what Topuria (14–0) did Saturday. He was methodical in his approach, largely unaffected in the early rounds by Emmett’s power. Topuria’s hand speed and combinations allowed him to repetitively hammer Emmett, and he quickly timed out Emmett’s lead jab, which minimized the damage he had to absorb.
Through his own jab, Topuria effectively turned this into a boxing match, which worked to his advantage. His defensive striking effectively limited Emmett’s ability to cause damage.
“It was a fantastic night,” says Topuria. “We knew Josh was coming with his overhand. That’s one of the best ways to [avoid] that punch.”
Topuria’s attack caused swelling around Emmett’s left eye, which worsened in the fourth and fifth rounds.
“In the fourth round, I thought the referee would stop the fight because of his eye,” says Topuria. “It was disgusting to see that.”
The fighting spirit of Emmett (18–4) was clearly visible, but he struggled to find success. The only times he landed with intent were when Topuria stepped forward in an attempt to end the fight. Once Topuria decided the risk wasn’t worth it, he instead repeatedly landed his jab, removing any shot Emmett had at the knockout blow.
“I’m unbreakable,” says Topuria. “There is nothing in life that can break my mentality.”
Topuria now believes his future is secure. But that raises the question: Is one win against a top-five opponent enough to secure a title shot?
Max Holloway, Arnold Allen and Brian Ortega have formed a quagmire atop the division that Topuria wants to avoid. But it is very possible he will need a victory against one of those three before he gets a title shot.
A telltale sign will be at UFC 290 next month, as Topuria sits cageside for the Alexander Volkanovski–Yair Rodriguez title unification bout. Will Topuria be instructed to enter the cage after the fight and challenge the champion? If that is the case, there will be no doubts about who is the top contender.
“I’m the next guy in line,” says Topuria. “I can wait. I’m patient. If they offer me the fight with Max Holloway in Spain, let’s do it. If not, I’m going to wait for my title shot.”
Could Zuckerberg and Musk enter the Octagon?
Be honest: If Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk meet in the Octagon, will you watch?
It would be hard to avert your eyes from that one. Despite those type of gimmick fights rarely seeing the light of day in the UFC, this would be an obvious exception to the rule.
Dana White isn’t kidding: He wants this fight. And he’s right: It would generate incredible interest, putting a a bright spotlight on the bouts that would take place before and after.
I’m still not convinced this will happen. Yet, suddenly, it seems far more likely.
Controversy brewing over PFL playoffs
A controversy emerged from the PFL this past weekend. And it is the type of fiasco that is going to leave a stain on the PFL’s reputation.
After qualifying for the upcoming lightweight playoff tournament, Natan Schulte was disqualified following his fight against Raush Manfio. Schulte’s spot was instead given to Shane Burgos, adding a much higher profile fighter to the playoffs. But it was a shortsighted and potentially very costly move.
For some extra context, Schulte defeated Manfio by unanimous decision during the prelims at PFL 6 on Friday, but very little of substance happened during the bout. Neither fighter took any chances—or initiated any offense—whatsoever. The two are extremely close friends, further adding to the mess, and the fight was effectively a glorified sparring session. Nevertheless, the win cemented Schulte as the three-seed in the upcoming postseason, where $1 million awaits the winner of the four-man tourney.
Yet that changed Saturday morning, when the PFL made an official announcement that both Schulte and Manfio were suspended because their bout “did not meet the standards which all PFL fighters agree to uphold in competition.” The statement also read, “It was very clear that Natan and Raush did not meet that contractual standard in yesterday’s bout. PFL immediately suspended both fighters from the season and deemed the fight to have 0 points for purposes of League standings.”
That ruling removed Schulte from the postseason, where he was replaced by Burgos (it also foolishly took attention away from this past weekend’s slate of fights, including a contender for Knockout of the Year by Sadibou Sy). The entire ordeal raises a giant red flag.
Burgos—who was lured away from the UFC with a significant contract—adds more name value to the playoffs, but at an absurd cost. A promotion cannot retroactively add someone to the playoffs. That, effectively, is the beauty and frustration of MMA: Anything can happen in the cage. But when that is manipulated, the trust is broken. It is a horrible look for the PFL, and it simply wasn’t worth the risk. Burgos is a great fighter to have on the roster, but no one is worth bending—or potentially even breaking—the rules over. Even if Burgos wins the tournament, there will be a controversy attached to it.
Schulte expressed his frustration over the decision, even calling out to new PFL superstar Francis Ngannou to help protect his rights as a fighter. That places Ngannou in a difficult spot, but Schulte isn’t wrong.
The PFL’s decision was egregious, risking the foundation of the league—which was supposed to be a meritocracy—to improve playoff matchups.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
