“Dominance.” That’s the word that perfectly captures Ilia Topuria’s relentless rise in the UFC. From a hungry young prospect to a reigning featherweight champion, Topuria’s path has been nothing short of ruthless and inspiring.
After dethroning Australian legend Alexander Volkanovski to claim the UFC Featherweight Championship at UFC 298, Topuria solidified his reign with a spectacular title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 308. Now undefeated and brimming with confidence, his sights are firmly set on a historic feat: conquering the lightweight division to become a two-division UFC champion.
Topuria’s Stats & Skills That Point to UFC Double Champ Potential
Ilia Topuria began his MMA journey at just eighteen in 2015, and since his debut, he has remained undefeated—a testament to his skill and dedication.
- He quickly amassed four consecutive submission wins in Spain and captured a belt in Mix Fight Events.
- His international debut came in April 2018 at Cage MMA Finland, where he triumphed over Mika Hämäläinen in his bantamweight debut.
- That same year, Topuria earned his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, becoming the first Georgian to do so.
- In June 2018, he fought for the Cage Warriors Bantamweight Championship, defeating Brian Bouland, but unfortunately missed weight and was ineligible to claim the title.
- He returned to featherweight with Brave CF, securing a submission win against Luis Gomez and a knockout loss to Stephen Goncalves.
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Joined UFC In 2020
Topuria’s arrival in the UFC came on short notice, introduced in the promotion as a replacement for fighter Seung Woo Choi.
| Date | Event | Opponent | Result | Title |
| October 11, 2020 | UFC Fight Night 179 | Youssef Zalal | UD | |
| December 5, 2020 | UFC on ESPN 19 | Damon Jackson | KO | |
| July 10, 2021 | UFC 264 | Ryan Hall | KO | |
| March 19, 2022 | UFC Fight Night 204 | Jai Herbert | KO | Performance of the Night |
| December 10, 2022 | UFC 282 | Bryce Mitchell | Submission | |
| June 24, 2023 | UFC on ABC 5 | Josh Emmett | UD | |
| February 17, 2024 | UFC 298 | Alexander Volkanovski | KO |
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| October 26, 2024 | UFC 308 | Max Holloway | KO |
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The Road to Double Champ: Topuria Targets Lightweight Title
Rumors swirled about a rematch with Volkanovski, but in a surprising move on April 12, 2025, Topuria vacated the UFC Featherweight Championship. UFC President Dana White later revealed that Topuria struggled with the featherweight weight cut and expressed a desire to compete permanently at lightweight.
Now, the next challenge awaits. Topuria is set to face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025 — a bout that could make history.
Watch the official announcement on Twitter
🚨 Ilia Topuria wants to return in April/May and fight Charles Oliveira at lightweight 👀
“Since Islam is going to fight in January and he is not going to be ready for April/May, I would like to fight the #1 contender which is Charles Oliveira.”
(via. @partidazocope) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/A485Tx1eZe
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 9, 2024
Pankaj Kapoor’s POV
Topuria’s confidence in his double-champ aspirations is clear. While the Spaniard is a serious threat in the lightweight division, Charles Oliveira is no pushover — a seasoned, former champion with his own legacy.
Prepare for a clash that promises to be one of the toughest and most memorable in UFC history this Saturday at UFC 317.
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