Former Bellator champion Andrey Koreshkov shared his insights in an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net about the dynamics in the upcoming title fight between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria for the UFC lightweight championship.
"Obviously, Topuria will be the clear favorite in the fight against Oliveira. However, we shouldn’t forget about one of Charles’s strong traits. He always fights to the end and he is capable of enduring the pain. Oliveira has great technique and is a southpaw, which is inconvenient for Topuria. Besides, Ilia won’t have a significant size advantage, making Oliveira’s chances better than those of guys at 66 kg," Korshkov explained.
Oliveira is skilled on the ground. If he can survive the first and second rounds, his chances of winning will greatly increase. I would bet on his victory in the second half of the fight – either by submission or knockout.
Recall that the fight between Oliveira and Topuria is set to take place on June 29 at UFC 317. Oliveira holds a record of 35 wins, 10 losses, and one no contest. Topuria remains undefeated with 16 wins.
