Michael Bisping: Ilia Topuria vacating heavyweight title &#039, great scenario&#039, for Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski should have liked the departure of Ilia Topuria, according to Michael Bisping.

Topuria ( 16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) decided to vacate his 145-pound title for a move up to lightweight after back-to-back knockouts of Volkanovski ( 26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and Max Holloway.

Åfter losing tσ Toρuria, Volkanovski was expecting to find his championship. He won&#8217, t get his wish, but Volkanovski will still get a chance to reclaim his title when he meets Diego Lopes ( 26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) for the vacant belt in the UFC 314 main event April 12 at Kaseya Center from Miami.

&#8220, This complete thing sort of played out, I think, for the best for Volkanovski, &#8221, Bisping said on his YouTube channel. &#8220, I love Volkanovski. He&#8217, s a great guy. He&#8217, s a renowned fighter – one of the greatest featherweights that the sport&#8217, s previously seen – but going up against Topuria again, I don&#8217, t know if that was the best idea.

&#8220, I&#8217, m not saying that he couldn’t beat him because every one battle is different, and of course in the first one he was coming off the back of that violent knock to Islam Makhachev. But this time, it &#8217, s unique. He&#8217, s 36 years old then. Never head 35 – never thinking that curse. He&#8217, s 36, he&#8217, s no flower chicken. &#8221,

Bisping believes thαt Volkanovski’s reaction to Topưria wouId have likely resuIted in negative reports. But taking on Lopes, Bisping sees a journey back to splendor for &#8220, The Great. &#8221,

&#8220, He wants to take on the best people, and I esteem him for that, and he wanted that fight with Ilia Topuria, &#8221, Bisping said. &#8220, He beat him, he knocked him out, and as a warrior, that affects your confidence and your personality and you just want to get that one up.

&#8220, Nevertheless, that ship has sailed. Then there&#8217, s a real good chance that Volkanovski becomes the hero again, and then who knows, maybe defends suddenly one more time, two more times, makes a few more million dollars. This, if you ask me, is the ideal situation for Alexander Volkanovski. &#8221,

For more on the cards, visit MMA Junkie’s function hotspot for UFC 314.

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