During a recent sit-down with Adin Ross, UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria named the toughest opponent he has ever faced.
“El Matador,” who boasts a spotless pro-MMA record of 17-0, boasts wins over Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, Josh Emmett, Bryce Mitchell, and many others.
Ilia Topuria names Alexander Volkanovski as the toughest opponent he has faced to date
However, when it came to naming the toughest foe he has ever faced, the Georgian-Spaniard picked the current two-time 145-pound UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski. He told Ross:
[Alexander Volkanovski is my toughest opponent to date.] He’s a very smart guy inside the octagon. He knows how to fight.”
Check out Ilia Topuria’s comments below:
Ilia Topuria dethroned Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in 2024 to become the featherweight champion. Although “The Great” as usual maintained a consistent output early in the fight, Topuria turned the tide in Round 2 by landing a sharp body shot.
As Volkanovski backed up, Topuria unleashed vicious combinations and a power-heavy right hook to the chin that dropped the Australian cold. “El Matador” then sealed the victory with ground-and-pound.
Although Volkanovski wanted to run it back with “El Matador,” Topuria did not share similar intentions. After one successful title defense at 145-pounds, Topuria decided to vacate and move up.
In 2025, the 29-year-old captured the 155-pound championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira cold in Round 1 at UFC 317.
Volkanovski, on the other hand, went on a hiatus after the Topuria loss, and after more than a year, in 2025, at UFC 314, he returned and beat Diego Lopes to reclaim what he had lost to Topuria. Most recently, at UFC 325, Volkanovski defended his title for the first time in his second reign, defeating Lopes once again in their rematch.
“The Great” is next expected to face the winner of the UFC London headliner, which features a bout between top and undefeated featherweight contenders Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy.
Ilia Topuria, on the other hand, is yet to defend his 155-pound championship. He expects to fight this summer and will most likely meet interim champion Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout.
