![Ilia Topuria (left) - Alex Pereira (right) comparison sparks fans debate. [Image courtesy: @iliatopuria and @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/2ec8d-17300089149696-1920.jpg)
![Ilia Topuria (left) - Alex Pereira (right) comparison sparks fans debate. [Image courtesy: @iliatopuria and @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira have been two of the most successful athletes on the UFC roster this year. A former UFC champion's take on who among these two men should get the coveted 'Fighter of the Year' award has sparked a fan debate online.
Following Topuria's spectacular third-round KO over Max Holloway at UFC 308, former two-division champion Henry Cejudo took to X to proclaim that the Georgian-born Spaniard deserved the honor over 'Poatan'.
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Suffice it to say an overwhelming majority of fight fans don't seem to see it that way, prompting them to flood 'Triple C's' comment section, pushing back on his claim.
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@Hound_of_Horror wrote:
"Nonsense. Pereira is fighting and winning, defending his title every couple of months."
@MarkHuynh7 chimed in:
"Put them in the ring and tell me 'Illi Torpedo' is the Fighter of the Year. It's Alex and it's not even close."
However, some fans were supportive of the former champion's opinion.
@Dannyboy703 opined:
"I agree based on the level of competition. Two [potential future] Hall of Famer knockouts."
Check out a few more responses below:
Earlier at UFC 298, Topuria had earned a second-round KO win over former featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski. Now with his UFC 308 win 'El Matador' boasts two high-profile victories this year.
Watch Ilia Topuira knockout Max Holloway below:
In comparison, 'Poatan' has a perfect 3-0 in light heavyweight title defenses this year, all via knockout. Two of those wins were against former champions Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, while his latest victory came against the dangerous Khalil Rountree Jr.
Watch Alex Pereira knockout Khalil Rountree Jr. below:
Pereira currently holds the No.2 spot on the UFC pound-for-pound rankings topped by lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, while Topuria sits on the No.4 spot under heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
