Ilia Topuria became featherweight champion at just 27 years old with a stunning knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, then successfully defended against Max Holloway at UFC 308. But he wasn't done. In June 2025, Topuria made the jump to lightweight and beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to capture a second UFC title -- becoming one of the rare fighters to hold two division titles simultaneously.
Topuria moved up from featherweight to lightweight motivated by the challenge, the legacy, and the desire to be a two-division champion like the greats before him. The lightweight move was questioned by some -- could his power translate up a weight class? The Oliveira finish answered that emphatically.
At 16-0, Topuria is undefeated, young, and the current UFC Lightweight Champion. His power is extraordinary for his frame -- generated through technical precision rather than size -- and his combination timing rivals fighters significantly bigger than him. The trajectory is toward the all-time great conversation.
- UFC Lightweight Champion (beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, June 2025)
- Former UFC Featherweight Champion
- Two-division UFC champion
- KO'd Alexander Volkanovski to win featherweight title at UFC 298
- Defended featherweight title against Max Holloway at UFC 308
- Undefeated in 16 professional MMA fights
- 01Right hand over the top
- 02Left hook counter
- 03Body-head combination
- 04Double-leg takedown from hand-fighting
- 05Rear-naked choke from back mount
- 06Short uppercut in the pocket
Topuria moved up a weight class just because he could, and won. Featherweight to lightweight, two-division champion at 27. Show your kids this guy -- he's going to be relevant for the next decade and he doesn't wait for opportunities, he creates them.