Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Joe Rogan, Conor McGregor, UFC
Nasir Jabbar
Joe Rogan has made his feelings clear on Ilia Topuria as the UFC superstar looks to replicate a feat Conor McGregor achieved during his career.
Topuria faces Charles Oliveira in the main-event of tonight's UFC 317 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The vacant UFC lightweight title will be on the line after Islam Makhachev vacated the 155lbs championship.
Topuria returns to the UFC lightweight division, having campaigned at featherweight, where he won the promotion's title, beating Alexander Volkanovski last year.
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He aims to become a two-weight UFC champion and follow in the footsteps of McGregor by winning UFC titles in the featherweight and lightweight divisions.
McGregor beat Jose Aldo to become the UFC featherweight champion before dethroning Eddie Alvarez to claim the UFC lightweight title.
Rogan, who will commentate on Topuria vs. Oliveira, was in awe of the Spanish fighter following his stunning performance against Volkanovski at UFC 298.
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"His technique is perfect," he said on his podcast. "There's no fat in his technique. There's no wasted movements, so when an opportunity presents itself, everything is so fast because the technique is so streamlined.
"Look at how he hits the pads, and when you watch how he hits pads - (Floyd) Mayweather is a great example of that, as well. Some of the best hands in the sport. Current UFC featherweight champion and knocked out (Alexander) Volkanovski, who is maybe the greatest of all time."
Watching a video of Topuria hitting pads, Rogan added: "See how he's moving his head when guy throws punches? Slipping just slightly? The speed, man. The f**king speed of that.
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"Look at the hand speed. F**king incredible. If you know how difficult that is to do and do it that fast. I mean, these are like five, six punches a second and just phenomenal technique."
Topuria is unbeaten in his professional MMA career and has eight big wins inside the famed Octagon, notably beating Volkanovski and Max Holloway.
He's already one of the biggest names in the sport but a victory over Oliveira would catapult him into a new stratosphere.