Tag: Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev or Alexander Volkanovski? UFC champ Ilia Topuria details next fight options

UFC champ Ilia Topuria says he’s “much better” than Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch and he could do whatever he wants to Islam Makhachev.

UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] sees two viable options for his next fight.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is coming off a stunning knockout of Max Holloway to retain his belt at UFC 308 in October. After becoming the first to finish Holloway with strikes, Topuria welcomed a rematch with [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC), who he knocked out to become champion at UFC 298.

Topuria has goals of becoming a two-division champion and has been vocal about his desire to move up to lightweight to challenge [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC). For now, however, he’s staying put to see what the UFC offers.

“This is something that I want to do, the UFC knows that,” Topuria told Fox Sports Australia on fighting Makhachev. “But at the end of the day, this is something that the UFC decide. They know how to run the business. They have a lot of experience. So, if they tell me they want me to keep defending the belt in the 145-pound division, maybe I will do that. But if they let me go up to 155, I will do that also and be very glad.”

If Topuria remains at featherweight, he only sees one deserving challenger.

“Yeah, if I stay in 145 no one else deserves the fight more than him,” Topuria said of Volkanovski. “I have to give him the rematch because he deserves that. It’s not something that I decide. He owns his shot. So, if I stay at 145, I will do that. I don’t want to do that again because I like Volk, and I know what’s going to happen if we face each other again.

“Of course, it’s the same thing. I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts. I bring a different type of game that he’s used to. So, I know what’s going to happen. Maybe the next time, instead of knocking him out, I will submit him. Maybe I’m going to change that to a different type of clip.”

If it was up to Topuria, his No. 1 option would be a champion-vs-champion affair with Makhachev.

“Me personally, what I want to do is move up to 155 because I know by fact that I can become a two-weight world champion,” Topuria said. “Islam, he’s a great fighter, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound for the people. For me, it’s me. I’m the best fighter in the world so, I know I can do with him whatever I want to do because I know I’m much better than him.”

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Broken foot results in Topuria vs. Volkanovski team battle at UFC 312

At UFC 312, Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski will compete against one another in a different fashion.

With a featherweight title rematch heavily rumored for later in 2025, [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] and [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] will indirectly face off Feb. 8 at UFC 312.

One fighter’s loss is another’s gain. After [autotag]Cody Haddon[/autotag] suffered a broken foot that forced him out of a fight on the Sydney card vs. [autotag]Aleksandre Topuria[/autotag], the UFC enlisted newcomer [autotag]Colby Thicknesse[/autotag] to fill the void.

News of the change was first reported recently by Alvaro Colmenero and confirmed by the teams and the promotion Wednesday on social media.

Topuria (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the brother of the UFC featherweight champion, Ilia. UFC 312 will mark his promotional debut just six fights into his professional career. He’s never gone the distance in his career, with three TKOs and two submissions across five wins.

Thicknesse (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is a training partner of Volkanovski, who won the HEX Fight Series bantamweight title in November. Four of his seven pro wins have come inside the distance.

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With the change, the UFC 312 lineup now includes:

  • Champion Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland – for middleweight title
  • Champion Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez – for women’s strawweight title
  • Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira
  • Rodolfo Bellato vs. Jimmy Crute
  • Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado
  • Anshul Jubli vs. Quillan Salkilld
  • Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Tom Nolan
  • Jack Jenkins vs. Gabriel Santos
  • Bruna Brasil vs. Cong Wang
  • Kody Steele vs. Rong Zhu
  • Kevin Jousset vs. Jonathan Micallef
  • Hyun Sung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
  • Colby Thicknesse vs. Aleksandre Topuria

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 312.

UFC 311’s Arman Tsarukyan encourages Ilia Topuria’s potential lightweight move

UFC 311 headliner Arman Tsarukyan thinks Ilia Topuria would be a stellar addition to the lightweight division.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] would be a stellar addition to the UFC lightweight division.

Ahead of Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) challenging Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) for the 155-pound title in the UFC 311 headliner on Jan. 18 in Inglewood, Calif. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+), reigning featherweight champ Topuria has teased a change in division.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) changing weight classes seems like it could be an inevitability in his career, but the questions persist about whether it will happen in the short term or the long term.

With Tsarukyan potentially on the cusp of claiming the title at lightweight, he thinks Topuria, whom he shares Georgian roots with, would make what’s historically been one of the most decorated weight classes in MMA history even better.

“He should move to 155 because he has a big name,” Tsarukyan told MMA Junkie on Friday. “As much as we have big names in our division, it’s better for us. We’re going to make more money, and our weight class is going to be famous. It’s still famous – 155 is one of the best, in my opinion, has one of the best fighters because of Conor (McGregor), Khabib (Nurmagomedov), Islam, (Dustin) Poirier, (Justin) Gaethje – there’s so many big names. If Ilia move to 155, it’s going to be good for us.”

Whether a matchup with Topuria could materialize in the future remains to be seen, but for now, Tsarukyan is focused on the task at hand.

He has Makhachev, who is No. 1 pound-for-pound in the UFC’s official rankings, in front of him, and it’s a rematch of the first loss of Tsarukyan’s career. He suffered a unanimous decision defeat in his short-notice octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 149 in April 2019, and Tsarukyan is keen to show his growth by capturing the belt.

“Right now we are the best lightweights, I am No. 1 and he is the champion,” Tsarukyan said. “I am so well-rounded and I know how to wrestle, grapple and he knows, as well. It’s going to be so interesting fight. If I was a fan, I would like to watch my fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Movsar Evloev calls bluff on UFC champ Ilia Topuria vacating title

Movsar Evloev is trying to stay patient in his pursuit of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] is trying to stay patient in his pursuit of UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag].

Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) remained unbeaten when he edged out former champ Aljamain Sterling this past December at UFC 310. But with Topuria recently hinting that he may vacate his title, top contender Evloev is left in a quandary.

“To be honest, it’s not easy to even understand what’s going on,” Evloev told MMA Fighting. “Because Max (Holloway) said he will not come back to featherweight again. So, Ilia’s talking that he’s moving up also, especially after my fight.

“I don’t know what’s going on. For me, it doesn’t matter who will be my next opponent. Even if the champion moves up, he will leave the title. I will get the title and then I will follow him. Lightweight is not too far for me.”

Evloev is more concerned with becoming champion than fighting Topuria but ultimately thinks their fight takes place at 145 pounds.

“Even if he moves up, I will take the belt first because this is my first goal,” Evloev continued. “So then I will go after him, even if he goes to middleweight. It doesn’t matter. He’s not a big guy. I don’t need to cut the weight to beat this guy.

“I need his head on my list. Belt is first, but I don’t think that he will leave the title. He’s not going to go to lightweight. He will defend his belt again soon. I don’t know when, but we’ll see.”

Like Evloev, no one has been able to solve the puzzle against Topuria. The 30-year-old is confident that he has the skillset to both dethrone Topuria and hand him his first loss.

“He’s a great fighter, but he’s not an unbeatable fighter,” Evloev said of Topuria. “I’m that guy who can beat this guy. Just make the fight between me and him, and I will prove my words.”

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UFC’s Youssef Zalal reflects on how Ilia Topuria loss made him step his game up

Youssef Zalal had no idea how good Ilia Topuria was when he welcomed him to the UFC.

[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] had no idea how good [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] was when he welcomed him to the UFC.

Zalal (16-5-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) was scheduled to face Seung-Woo Choi in October 2020, but Choi was forced out just 10 days’ out from the fight. Topuria stepped in to face Zalal, but “The Moroccan Devil” didn’t know anything about him outside of his 100 percent finish rate.

Topuria swarmed Zalal with his grappling, transitioning from submission to submission. However, Zalal hung tough and was able to escape out of numerous chokes. He rallied to win Round 3, but it was too little, too late.

“The third round he just gassed out, I f*cked him up in the third round,” Zalal said of Topuria on the “JAXXON Podcast.” “I won the third round, but the second round, bro, is like I wish I would have went a little bit more. But, that’s when I went at it and really gave it to him. I was the first guy to ever take him to a decision, and that was his first fight in the UFC.

“After that, he went on a f*cking tear. He like literally knocked out everybody and then Josh Emmett, he 10-7’d Josh Emmett in a round. I was like come on bro, and he just f*cked everybody up. I got kicked out of the UFC after that. After this fight I was on a three-fight losing streak, and then a draw, and then they kicked me out.”

Zalal backed Topuria to retain his featherweight title vs. Max Holloway at UFC 308, but was impressed regardless when “El Matador” became the first fighter to ever knock out Holloway.

”You knock out Max Holloway bro, like come on bro, like that sh*t broke my heart,” Zalal said. “F*ck, but yeah bro, I was on his ass. I was like, f*ck, bro. He’s the only guy literally I’ve been chasing since I got kicked out of the UFC, and he became a champion, and that was my way to go. I have to step my game up bro, there’s no way.”

Since rejoining the UFC roster, Zalal has been on a tear with three-straight submission wins and two Performance of the Night bonuses. His streak earned him a big opportunity against Calvin Kattar (23-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 251 on Feb. 15 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 251.

Daniel Cormier: Ilia Topuria poised to become ‘global superstar’ for UFC in 2025

Daniel Cormier thinks Ilia Topuria is poised to be a star in 2025, but he’s going to have to get more comfortable as the A-side.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] thinks the stage is set for an [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] takeover in the UFC this year.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) had an unforgettable 2024 in knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight title in February before knocking out Max Holloway in his first defense in October. The body of work earned “El Matador” recognition as MMA Junkie’s 2024 Male Fighter of the Year.

Although Cormier didn’t view UFC 298 and UFC 308, both of which were headlined by Topuria, as the marquee selling events of the year, he said those experiences laid the foundation for Topuria to become one of the UFC’s marquee stars as 2025 begins.

“You have to beat the prior generation to take from it,” Cormier told MMA Junkie. “It’s like (professional) wrestling. The old champion gets pinned by the new champion to build. That’s why The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hulk Hogan, and Hulk Hogan didn’t like to get pinned. But they needed him to get the rub, and now what Ilia is going to do is take a lot of that shine from Volkanovski and Max – especially if Volk gets a rematch and he beats him again – into what will become a global superstar.”

It remains to be seen what Topuria’s upcoming year looks like, and to what degree he will be able to capitalize on his current momentum.

If the UFC is able to host an event in Spain with Topuria at the top of the bill, that is a moment that would seemingly resonate in a big way.

Cormier said his only concern is about the type of opponents Topuria is matched up with. A rematch against Volkanovski would be a significant contest for the sport, but beyond that the list of contenders such as Diego Lopes, Movsar Evloev, Brian Ortega and more do not have a proven track record of moving the needle.

If Topuria gets that far in his reign, Cormier said those will be the type of fights that truly test the champ’s drawing power.

“I think he’s still got work to do at 145,” Cormier said. “Unfortunately, he’s going to beat the guys that sell early, so he’s going to have to carry Diego Lopes, he’s going to have to carry Evloev to numbers. Because the numbers in the weight class now for the last nine years have belonged to Volkanovski and Holloway. He’s going to have to carry those new guys because they don’t have the cache that these last two had.”

To hear more from Cormier, check out his complete appearance above on “The Bohnfire” podcast, hosted by MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.

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Poll results: 100 MMA notables vote for Alex Pereira or Ilia Topuria as 2024 Fighter of the Year

The 2024 Fighter of the Year race was the most fierce in recent history, but 100 notable figures in the MMA community voted a clear winner.

The debate for 2024 Fighter of the Year was among the most fierce in recent history, with UFC champions [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] and [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] both turning in incredible stretches of results that will be defining points of their respective careers.

Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) delivered three light heavyweight title defenses in a record 175-day stretch at UFC 300, UFC 303 and UFC 307, finishing Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. inside the distance. Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), meanwhile, claimed the featherweight title with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, then became the first to stop Max Holloway with strikes in his first defense at UFC 308.

Although Pereira and Topuria were both remarkable in their own ways, only one winner could be crowned. MMA Junkie named Topuria as its 2024 Male Fighter of the Year, as did other outlets. Others, however, went in the direction of “Poatan.”

MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn also collected 100 votes from a wide range of individuals across the MMA industry, who offered an anonymous selection between Pereira and Topuria as the 2024 Fighter of the Year.

Who came out on top in the 100-person anonymous vote? Check out the “The Bohnfire” podcast above to hear the results and a breakdown of the voting process.

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Video: Was Dakota Ditcheva the correct pick for Female Fighter of the Year?

Dakota Ditcheva dominated the PFL season in a star-making year, but was there someone else worthy of Female Fighter of the Year?

The choice for MMA Junkie’s Female Fighter of the Year was [autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag], and it wasn’t really close.

Ditcheva had a star-making 2024 as she dominated the PFL season, standing out in a year when no UFC women’s champion defended their title more than once.

After claiming the PFL Europe championship in December, Ditcheva entered the big PFL regular season, on the hunt for more gold and the big $1 million prize.

Ditcheva stopped Lisa Mauldin, Chelsea Hackett, Jena Bishop, then got the matchup everyone hoped for in the championship against former UFC title challenger Taila Santos, and she stopped her too.

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Matthew Wells, Dan Tom, and host Danny Segura discuss the Female Fighter of the Year, and if anyone else was deserving of the award.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

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Video: Was Ilia Topuria the correct pick for Male Fighter of the Year?

It seemed Male Fighter of the Year was a two-horse race between UFC champions Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira. Who was the right choice?

Two male fighters stood out above the rest in 2024, but the final choice for MMA Junkie’s Male Fighter of the Year was [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag].

The UFC featherweight champion had a year for the ages. Topuria began his year by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in February at UFC 298 to claim the title. Then, in October at UFC 308, he knocked out Max Holloway to record his first title defense.

Finishing two GOATs in a calendar year is a tough feat to beat.

However, the year of the UFC light heavyweight champ [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] was just as impressive.

“Poatan” recorded three title defenses in 2024. He stopped every opponent, finishing a pair of former champs in Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, and took out a hungry contender in Khalil Rountree Jr.

Which fighter deserved the award more?

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Matthew Wells, Dan Tom, and host Danny Segura discuss their picks for Male Fighter of the Year.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

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Spinning Back Clique LIVE (noon ET): Fighter of the Year awards review, 2025 MMA predictions, interview with Eddie Alvarez

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses our Fighter of the Year awards, 2025 MMA predictions, plus we interview Eddie Alvarez.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Dan Tom, Matt Wells, Mike Bohn will join host Danny Segura live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • We chat with former UFC and Bellator champion [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag], who returns to the ring on Jan. 25 to headline BKFC Knucklemania 5 against fellow veteran Jeremy Stephens. We discuss his return fight and career, along with some of the recent things happening in MMA.
  • Last week, we announced the winners of MMA Junkie’s 2024 Male and Female Fighter of the Year. We reflect on the winners’ years, who were UFC champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] and PFL’s [autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag], and discuss what could be in store for them in 2025.
  • Keeping the 2025 theme. The panel gives their bold predictions and wishes for MMA in 2025. We also discuss each chance of the current UFC champions being able to hold onto their belt till the end of the year.
  • Lastly, to end the show, we go over some of the recent headlines in MMA, including [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] returning to the UFC’s testing pool in hopes to make a comeback from retirement, [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag]’s callout of [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] for BKFC fight, [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]’s comments on a potential move to light heavyweight, and much more.

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