Daniel Cormier has shared his thoughts on why UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria might lack the motivation to defend his title, despite his dominant performances against elite competition.
Topuria’s recent victories include knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, with the latter marking the first time “Blessed” has ever been finished via strikes during their bout at UFC 308 this past October.
The Spaniard recently revealed his interest in moving up to the lightweight division for a potential fight against top contender Charles Oliveira. He also hinted that his days competing at 145 pounds might be behind him.
Cormier, speaking on his Funky and the Champ show alongside Ben Askren, suggested that Topuria’s mindset could be affected by a type of mental fatigue rather than physical exhaustion.
“When you beat the best guys, especially the two guys that ruled the division for so long, there can be a little bit of fatigue in there,” Cormier said. “It’s not like muscle fatigue; it’s mental fatigue. You have to be so up to do what he did to Max Holloway and to do what he did to Volkanovski. I don’t care what people tell you. The only ones that believed he would do what he did were Ilia Topuria and his team. You don’t knock out Max Holloway. He knocked out Volkanovski. You don’t do those things back-to-back.”
While contenders such as Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes are waiting in the featherweight division, Cormier believes Topuria may struggle to find motivation after defeating such iconic names.
For now, it appears the champion’s sights are set on new challenges at lightweight, where bigger fights and greater stakes may reignite his drive.
- Read More: Colby Covington Gets Honest On Troubles After Third Failed UFC Title Bid: ‘Mentally Speaking…’
