Ilia Topuria was the better fighter both on the feet and on the ground as he squared off against Bryce Mitchell to open the main card at UFC 282 inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Topuria started strong, landing a vicious left kick that got Mitchell’s attention.
He looked incredibly sharp on the feet, showing some great work with his striking as was expected from the power puncher. Moreover, he showed great takedown defense, pressing Mitchell with some huge blows. The first round was all Topuria, however, Mitchell was able to take him down in the closing moments of the round, with less than 45 seconds to spare, giving him some sort of confidence going into the second round. However, that wasn’t the case.
STILL UNDEFEATED!
WHAT a performance by @TopuriaIlia! š #UFC282 pic.twitter.com/PHi5Cn5ywk
ā UFC (@ufc) December 11, 2022
Topuria started the second round with a huge right hand, closing the distance with some swinging blows. Once again, takedown defense was on display, as he landed a flush right hand to knock Mitchell down. Topuria was then slowly able to transition to the back, however, Mitchell was able to get back on his feet. Topuria once again put Mitchell down with a vicious uppercut and proceeded with an arm triangle choke to get the victory.
Such an impressive performance from @Topuriailia
ā Funky (@Benaskren) December 11, 2022
Someones zero was going to go and as it turned out, Ilia Topuria remained undefeated with a win over Bryce Mitchell. With the victory, Topuria should find himself in the top 10 of the UFC’s featherweight division.
“I knew I was better than him, in the ground, in striking, everywhere,” Topuria said after the fight. The Georgian fighter also demanded a title shot or a fight against Brian Ortega next.
What’s next for Ilia Topuria after his victory over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282?
Ilia Topuria will find himself in the top 10 of the UFC’s featherweight division. There are some really exciting options for Topuria, and while a title shot is not in the corner for him, a win or two from here should definitely put him in that position. Calvin Kattar and Arnold Allen are exciting options, and a win against each could land him in that title picture.
Topuria is 5-0 in his UFC career, and will now find himself against the absolute best of the division. Fellow Georgian fighter Giga Chikadze is also an interesting option for the rising featherweight. Who do you want to see him fight next? Do let us know in the comments section.
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