Ilia Topuria's impact is being felt in the world of collectibles.
Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), who won a UFC title in a second division by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, has seen his star power steadily rise to new heights.
Why Ilia Topuria Destroys Everyone
As Topuria continues to forge an undeniable path as a superstar in the UFC, his trading cards are becoming the hottest thing going. Not only does Topuria have an undefeated record and titles in two UFC divisions, but he also now has the highest UFC trading card sale on record at six figures.
Wednesday, Goldin Auctions, a high-end collectible marketplace, announced that a private sale has been completed for Ilia Topuria's one-of-one Black Prizm rookie card from the 2022 Panini Prizm UFC set. The card was graded a mint 9 by PSA, the world's leading trading card grading company. Goldin consigned the sale.
The total? Topuria’s top rookie card, his 2022 Prizm UFC Black Prizm 1/1, sold privately via Goldin Auctions for $101,000, the auction house announced Wednesday. The sale marks a record for any UFC card, besting the previous high held by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s 2014 Topps UFC Knockout Autographs 1/1 which fetched $79,200 in May 2022.
Read also: The Story of Ilia Topuria
The UFC sports card market has witnessed history as of this morning, when Ilia Topuria set the all-time high record sale, passing Khabib Nurmagomedov. The news was broken by Goldin, who said that the 2022 Black Rookie Prizm 1/1 (Graded a PSA 9) sold in a private auction for $101,000.
This card passes up two historic pieces of cardboard that remained at the top of the sales charts for years: Khabib’s 2014 Knockout Autograph 1/1 which sold for just under $80,000 and Conor McGregor’s 2017 Topps Chrome Superfractor that sold for $73,800.
The six-figure share is an astounding price for Topuria, whose previous record sale was just $6,000. According to Market Movers, Topuria’s sales volume over the past year (not counting the most recent record sale) was $55,500.
While it is all speculative, this card seems to be a fantastic investment piece for the buyer. This sale could not have come at a better time for the seller or the buyer. Ilia Topuria has become the face of the UFC and has recently become the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world.
Over his past three fights he has knocked out some of the greatest fighters that the sport has ever seen…and he’s finished them quite easily at that: Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. Just last year, Topuria won the Featherweight title and defended his belt against Volkanovski and Holloway, and two weeks ago he moved up to the Lightweight division to become a double-champ and secure the Lightweight belt over Oliveira.
Read also: The Sound of Topuria's Entrance
The UFC has not seen anything like Topuria’s run since Conor McGregor, as the whole world begins to compare the two.
Topuria has a perfect 17-0 professional record and has now set another record in the sports card hobby.
Topuria has hinted at moving up a weight class again to become the first triple-champion and possibly fight against the long time, number one pound-for-pound fighter, Islam Makhachev. Another route for Ilia would be fighting the fan favorite, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, who faced off with him after his last fight. Needless to say, Ilia Topuria’s next move will continue to gain eyes towards him as he grows the sport, and evolves the sports card hobby.
Another top card of his that may see a price jump because of this sale is his 2022 Prizm Rookie FOTL Gold Shimmer /5. This card is a variation of the record-setting card and is beautiful in its own right, displaying a gold border, and a rarity of only five being produced.
This card was sold in raw form back in 2022 for only $1,050 and a PSA 10 sold in early 2024 for just $4,750. Again, this card is a prime example of one that could see a solid price jump, since its most recent sales have dated back before the run that Topuria was on.
It is not every day that a record card sale of a whole sport happens, but Ilia Topuria has done the unthinkable once again.
Read also: Ilia Topuria: Champion's Story
Ilia Topuria's record-breaking UFC card sale. (Credit: Goldin Auctions)
Auction Prices By Grade
The value of Ilia Topuria's trading cards can vary significantly based on the grading they receive from professional grading companies like PSA. Here's a breakdown of recent auction prices based on different grades:
| Grade | Most Recent Price | Average Price | Population | Pop Higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $525.00 | $525.00 | 1 | 80 |
| PSA 9 | -- | $8 | 1 | 8 |
| PSA 8 | -- | -- | 1 | 26 |
| PSA 7 | -- | -- | 0 | 27 |
| PSA 6 | -- | -- | 0 | 27 |