Why Kevin Vallejos is drawing comparisons to Ilia Topuria and fighting Josh Emmett is a perfect next step

Despite a trio of wins in just over 11 months as a UFC fighter, 24-year-old featherweight Kevin Vallejos isn't looking to speed up the process as it pertains to him becoming a legitimate 145-pound title contender. 

The only problem, however, is that the 24-year-old native of Argentina's recent performances is beginning to make that impossible.

Vallejos (17-1), who is already ranked No. 14 at featherweight, will enter the first five-round bout of his five-year pro career on Saturday when he headlines UFC Fight Night inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas against No. 11 Josh Emmett (19-6). 

The 145-pound tilt represents the perfect crossroads matchup between one of the brightest prospects in all of UFC against one of its most dangerous and battle-tested veterans in the 41-year-old Emmett, who fought for the division's interim title just three years ago. 

Vallejos, who has drawn comparisons to former featherweight king and current undefeated lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, has been listed as high as a 6-to-1 betting favorite against Emmett but would prefer to focus on the many lessons he can learn from fighting such an experienced foe rather than speculating about how many more wins he would need to get a title shot.  

"Actually, I don't want to be fast-tracked," Vallejos told CBS Sports, through an interpreter, on Tuesday. "I understand that there are so many fights to be made out there. I'll take anyone and I understand that I'm going to have to beat a lot of people on my way to the top. Whoever is put in front of me, I don't fear them and I'll take them. I want to learn and I want to continue to evolve and understand everything. 

"I'm not in a rush to be put in that position because my intention is not just to be a one-time champion and nothing else. I want to continue to defend that belt and build a story in this organization. I want to make my family proud and to make sure that I leave a legacy in this sport and continue to get better with every fight." 

While the compact and muscular Vallejos wields a well-rounded skill set, his calling card has been his fast, explosive and highly technical striking. Not only does "El Chino" have tremendously quick footwork, there is a precise nature to the violence he delivers, as evidenced by just four months ago when he landed an incredible spinning backfist to become the first opponent in 21 pro fights to stop 37-year-old veteran Giga Chikadze.

For as confident as Vallejos is regarding his ability, it's equally offset by his humility and a willingness (he trains three times a day) to improve on his mistakes and continue to evolve. This was never more evident than the first time Vallejos, who turned pro at age 19, found himself on the UFC's radar just two years later in 2023 when the 11-0 prospect took on current UFC featherweight contender "Lord" Jean Silva on the "Dana White Contender Series."

Even though Vallejos, just 21, would go on to record his lone pro defeat against the 26-year-old Silva, he was competitive throughout and dealt with his opponent's power very well in a loss via 29-28 scores on all three cards. 

"God's timing is his and we understand it," Vallejos said. "I think [the Silva loss] was very important for me because if you think about all the fights he has had since and all the wins he has strung together, basically when something like that happens you learn from it and you understand from it. I think it's beyond our comprehension sometimes but things have been really good for me since. I think the important thing when you get knocked down is to get back up. I have learned a lot from that moment, I continue to learn and I am on my way."

After rebounding from the loss with a pair of stoppage wins on the regional level, Vallejos received a second chance at the DWCS exactly one year later when he needed just over two minutes to finish off Cam Teague with strikes. Six months later, in March 2024, Vallejos made his UFC debut in Las Vegas and recorded a first-round TKO against Choi Seung-woo. 

Although he admits the hype that surrounds him as a prospect sometimes gets to him, Vallejos has been able to control his anxiety and remain calm in his pursuit of the top. A big part of that is the close-knit team he keeps around him and the fact that Vallejos knows he's fighting for a lot more than just himself and his family. 

As a proud Argentine who trains out of the Brothers of Life MMA gym in his native Buenos Aires, Vallejos is just as focused on being part of a new generation of mixed martial artists in his own country. For a nation with a proud combat sports history mostly surrounding boxing, Vallejos joins the likes of women's bantamweight contender Aillin Perez and lightweight Esteban Ribovics as Argentine fighters looking to create a new legacy. 

"I'm from the generation that got to see [current UFC welterweight] Santiago Ponzinibbio break ground and be the pioneer there," Vallejos said. "Now, you see myself and other fighters, we are from the people that are bringing this in a different way. We are representing Argentina the best way possible. We are the ones with the responsibility of actually bringing MMA to the country and you can see it. 

"It's six people and there are going to be even more. I think what we are showing people is that there is a lot more talent and it's just a matter of time before Argentina actually has its [own UFC] event. We are only six people but we carry the responsibility of showing people that there is more talent coming in the future."

But when it comes to comparing Vallejos with Topuria (17-0), the 29-year-old Georgian who has become a massive star in his adopted home of Spain, not everyone is on board with it. Emmett, who went the five-round distance with Topuria in a 2023 decision loss that served as the final fight before Topuria captured the 145-pound title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski, isn't yet convinced. 

"I don't think [Vallejos] is Ilia 2.0," Emmett told CBS Sports on Tuesday. "I have seen the [UFC] commentators say that. It's just because he has really good boxing and has a lot of good feints. He's just slick and is always in the best position possible. I don't think so but we'll find out Saturday and I'll let you guys know after my win."

Vallejos said adapting to the five-round distance for the first time on Saturday will produce an all-new version of himself as a fighter that fans have yet to see, which is important considering Emmett, who has some of the best cardio in the division, has gone five rounds three times in the past four years alone. 

But while Vallejos has respect for Emmett's punching power, which is among the most explosive in UFC history, he isn't fearful of it and credits his time in the Octagon against Silva with mentally preparing him for the challenge.

"It has been years that [Emmett] has been doing this and he's still going strong," Vallejos said. "He can finish the fight in the first round, he can finish a fight in the third round or keep it going. But I'm prepared for this. We know what can happen. I don't feel that is going to be a problem because I'm used to this. I have not been knocked out and the person who came closest to doing this was Jean Silva. Since then, there have been no flash knockdowns at all and I haven't been knocked out at all so I'm ready for a good fight. I'm prepared for it."