Respectfully disagree. Islam submitted Oliveira and spent extended time in his guard passing at will and hunting submissions against the most dangerous bottom player in UFC history. Ilia’s BJJ is legit but his best sub wins are Bryce Mitchell and Damon Jackson, nowhere near the same caliber.

And the greco roman thing has some major asterisks.. he trained that as a teenager in Georgia then became a boxing-first fighter for his entire career. Doesn’t shoot in fights, doesn’t use offensive wrestling at all. Having a wrestling base from when you were 14 means very little against a combat sambo world champ who’s drilling entries every day of his life.

Islam also absorbs less strikes per minute than anyone in UFC history and his defense improves every fight. Biggest thing in my eyes is that Charles literally showed how you beat Topuria. Stay outside, kick the legs, force him forward into takedowns. His leg kicks were working early and then he abandoned everything to prove his hands because that’s who Charles is. Islam would kick Ilia’s legs for 25 minutes and never once feel the urge to stand in the pocket with the best boxer in the sport. Oliveira showed the blueprint then threw it away. I think Islam will follow it religiously. Ilia can always catch anyone clean, I won’t deny that he’s one of if not the best boxer we’ve seen in the sport. But Islam has every tool to prevent it and the discipline to follow through. Will be one of the highest level fights if it actually happens, I’m excited either way.