Ilia Topuria, the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard, has etched his name in UFC history. Following UFC 317, Topuria is the second-youngest fighter in UFC history to achieve titles in two divisions.
With a perfect 17-0 record and a growing list of fallen legends behind him, Ilia Topuria isn’t just chasing greatness.
Ilia Topuria celebrates his victory.
Historic Victory at UFC 317
Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in ruthless fashion to win the lightweight title and become a two-division champion at UFC 317 in Las Vegas. The fight, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, ended at 2:27 of Round 1 after a brutal combo from the Spaniard left the Brazilian veteran unable to continue.
Fighting in Las Vegas, the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard ended the bout with surgical precision, a straight right followed by a crushing left hook that dropped Oliveira cold. 'El Matador' folded Oliveira in the first round to secure his second UFC title.
Read also: Record Ilia Topuria Sale
The Georgian-Spaniard, who vacated his featherweight belt earlier this year, ended the fight in the first round with a brutal straight right-left hook combination. The 28-year-old became only the 10th double champion in UFC history as he extended his unbeaten run to 17.
Topuria celebrated by drinking an imaginary cup of tea before hoisting a UFC title belt over each shoulder.
The spectacular win over the popular Oliveira follows knockouts of fan favourites Volkanovski and Holloway as Topuria cemented his status as one of the most explosive fighters on the roster.
With this win, the 28-year-old Georgian-born Spaniard becomes the first undefeated fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes, having already captured the featherweight belt in 2024. Topuria now boasts a perfect 17-0 record, including seven KOs and two submissions.
The Path to Double Champion Status
Formerly the defending featherweight champion, Topuria moved up and vacated the title to challenge for Islam Makhachev's vacant lightweight throne. The title bout between Topuria and Brazil's Oliveira was set up after it was announced former champion Islam Makhachev would be vacating his belt to move up to welterweight.
Read also: The Story of Ilia Topuria
Topuria had a stellar 2024, knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, but confirmed he would leave the featherweight division because of the difficult weight cut.
The matchup came together after Islam Makhachev vacated the lightweight belt to move up to welterweight, opening the door for Topuria’s shot at a second title.
Comparison with Other UFC Champions
Now a two-division champion, Topuria is second only to Conor McGregor on an elite list of fighters. Coming in at number one is McGregor, who was 28 when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title. Topuria is also 28, but roughly a month younger than 'The Notorious.'
Lagging behind these two is BJ Penn. If we want to be extra pedantic, Topuria is the youngest two-division champion with a title defense to his name. Topuria knocked out Max Holloway at UFC 308 to defend his featherweight title. McGregor never defended a belt in the UFC.
The only difference would be McGregor owning two belts at the same time, but this reflects more on the landscape of the UFC more than the fighters. As of 2025, champions have been encouraged to leave their titles behind if they want to pursue double-champ status.
Read also: The Sound of Topuria's Entrance
Topuria is also the only fighter to win belts in two divisions with an undefeated record. He'd be the only fighter in UFC history to become a three-division champion if he plans on moving up to welterweight.
ILIA TOPURIA REVEALS INSANE MMA DATA HACKING STRATEGY THAT HELPED HIM BECOME A UFC CHAMPION
The Fight Against Oliveira
From the opening bell, Topuria looked locked in. He landed early, slicing Oliveira open above the eye, then showed off his ground skills in a brief grappling exchange.
Both fighters were cheered during their walkouts and it was the confident Topuria who struck first, opening a cut above Oliveira's eye. After Topuria got the better of a grappling exchange on the ground, the fight then returned to the feet before he delivered his highlight reel moment.
As Oliveira stepped in, Topuria landed a flush, straight right before connecting with a left hook, leaving the Brazilian flat out on the canvas.
Right from the start, Topuria came out swinging-aggressive, sharp, and calculated. He quickly opened up a cut above Oliveira’s right eye and kept the pressure on. Then came the finish: a vicious left-right combo dropped the Brazilian, and a final right hand sealed the deal, forcing the ref to step in.
The crowd exploded in disbelief at one of the cleanest knockouts of the year.
Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira.
Topuria vs. Pimblett
Topuria then faced off with and shoved Britain's Paddy Pimblett, potentially setting up a mouth-watering title bout between the two rivals.
"I don't think [Pimblett's] going to accept the fight. If you think you're ready, come on, bring him here," said Topuria.
Liverpool's Pimblett was shown on television cameras sporting a big grin and rubbing his hands together, before he entered the octagon and clashed with Topuria.
"That was a heavy knockout but you will never knock me out. I'd finish you," said Pimblett.
The pair have history, after a dispute at a hotel prior to UFC London in 2022. Pimblett has staked his claim for a title shot recently, rising to eighth in the UFC lightweight rankings following a dominant win against Michael Chandler in April.
Topuria and Pimblett have been rivals since 2022.
Ilia Topuria's Background and Fighting Style
Ilia Topuria (Georgian: ილია თოფურია; born January 21, 1997) is a Georgian and Spanish professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Lightweight Champion. Topuria started his career with four straight submission wins on the Spanish regional scene and won a belt in Mix Fight Events promotion.
In 2018, he competed in his first international fight in Cage MMA Finland. In the same year, in May, he became the first Georgian black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu alongside his brother Alex Topuria. Months later he received the opportunity to fight for the Cage Warriors Bantamweight Championship at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp, Belgium. In 2019, he signed with Brave Combat Federation. Ilia made his promotional debut in Bogotá, Colombia, defeating Luis Gomez in the first round by submission; which earned him the award for best performance of the night.
Initially coming into the UFC organization with a strong base in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Topuria dedicated himself to enhancing his stand-up game, developing a boxing-heavy approach under the guidance of experienced coaches. His boxing style is marked by precise shot selection, fluid combinations, and remarkable power, which was on full display during his knockout victories over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
Topuria has trained with fellow Georgian and UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili, who has praised Topuria's grappling skills, stating that he has "great wrestling, great jiu-jitsu,".
Accolades and Achievements
Some of Ilia Topuria's notable achievements include:
- Performance of the Night (Five times)
- Fight of the Night (One Time)
- UFC Men's Pound-For-Pound No. Holds wins over three former UFC champions
- 2024: President's Choice Performance of the Year Nominee vs. Alexander Volkanovski
- 2022: Ranked #7 Knockout of the Year vs. Jai Herbert
- Ranked #9 Submission of the Year
- 2024: Fighter of the Year (Tied with Alex Pereira)
- Ranked #2 Knockout of the Year vs. Max Holloway
- Ranked #6 Knockout of the Year
- 2025: Ranked #4 Knockout of the Year vs. Charles Oliveira
- Half-Year Awards: Best Knockout of the 1HY
- 2022 December Submission of the Month
- 2025 #3 Knockout of the Year
- 2024 #4 Ranked Knockout of the Year
- 2025 Knockout of the Year
Fight History
A brief overview of Ilia Topuria's fight history:
- Return to Lightweight. Won the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship.
- Defended the UFC Featherweight Championship.
- Performance of the Night.
- Won the UFC Featherweight Championship.
- UFC on ABC: Emmett vs.
- Return to Featherweight.
- UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs.
- Lightweight debut.
- UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs.
- UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs.
- Volkanovski vs. Topuria
- Topuria vs.
Reactions and Quotes
“This is the next level of the game,” he said after the fight. “I represent a new generation of MMA. Right hand, left hook, boom.
“I told you it’d be fast-and that was the plan: hooks and jabs,” said Topuria after the fight, draped in the Spanish flag and holding both championship belts.
“I represent a new generation of mixed martial arts. This is the next level of the game," said Topuria.
"I did exactly what we had planned.
| Fighter | Age at Title Win | Division |
|---|---|---|
| Conor McGregor | 28 | Lightweight |
| Ilia Topuria | 28 (younger than McGregor by a month) | Lightweight |
| BJ Penn | N/A | N/A |