SUMMARY
- At UFC 298, Ilia Topuria defeated Alexander Volkanovski to become the new Featherweight Champion.
- Ilia Topuria suddenly broke the 3 million mark on Instagram after his win at UFC 298.
Ilia Topuria was crowned the featherweight champion of the world at UFC 298. In what was one of the most memorable PPV events in recent history, the highly-coveted title swapped hands for the first time in more than four years. As such, let’s explore what was the outcome of this monumental feat.
For those unaware, ‘El Matador’ finally fulfilled his prophecy of becoming the UFC Featherweight Champion at UFC 298. Having been unabashed and almost too confident all throughout the fight week, many felt that the Spanish-Georgian was in for a brutal humbling. However, when all was said and done, he was undeniably the better man inside the Octagon.
HE IS KING 👑@TOPURIAILIA IS YOUR NEW FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD 🇪🇸🏆 🇬🇪 #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/eKRjZsP7yI
— UFC (@ufc) February 18, 2024
Despite a touch-and-go first round, things eventually fell into place for Topuria in the second. Getting Alexander Volkanovski against the cage, the youngster unleashed a wild flurry, chinning the former champ and putting him to sleep. Arguably one of the biggest moments in the UFC in quite some time, Ilia announced himself to the world. Not only was he crowned the new featherweight champ, but he was also the UFC’s newest megastar.
Is Ilia Topuria the most popular UFC featherweight fighter?
Naturally, Ilia Topuria received a massive pop, owing to his fight-week antics. Moreover, his brutal KO win over, arguably, the featherweight GOAT has given him a big boost as well. As many pointed out, Topuria’s social media saw considerable growth during the fight week. As such, there were reports of him eclipsing Alexander Volkanovski on Instagram even before the two set foot inside the Octagon.
Currently, Topuria boasts 3.1 million followers on Instagram. For the most part, this is a notable boost, as he was supposedly at less than 2 million followers prior to the fight. As such, he is now one of the most popular featherweight fighters, having more followers than Volkanovski (2.2 million), and Movsar Evloev (1.2 million). However, Max Holloway remains the most-followed featherweight with 3.6 million followers.
Ilia Topuria has gained over 600,000 Instagram followers since knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at #UFC298 📈
A potential superstar on the rise 🏆 pic.twitter.com/E9UB0RSgTe
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) February 18, 2024
Notably, IIlia had a heated feud with lightweight Paddy Pimblett in the past. Since their altercation, the Georgian has gone on to overtake the Englishman, who has 2.8 million followers. Moreover, Topuria can proudly say that he is the champion, whilst Pimblett is still unranked in his division. Another famous rival, Sean O’Malley, still remains ahead with 3.9 million followers.
Ilia Topuria’s growing connections and popularity
At the same time, Ilia Topuria’s growing following has had a considerable effect, leading to a lot of connections. Ahead of his fight at UFC 298, Ilia posted a video of him getting messages from some renowned personalities in Spain. Notably, the 27-year-old has a good relationship with former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos. Previously, the Spanish soccer star has been spotted in attendance for Ilia’s fights as well.
Similarly, tennis superstar Rafael Nadal also sent a heartwarming message to the new champ. Following the victory, Topuria also got a shoutout from Real Madrid, one of the biggest soccer teams in Spain and the world. Thus, it gives a very clear picture of Ilia’s influence and popularity. With a reported net worth of around $1 million, the future is seemingly bright for the youngster.
No puedo estar más agradecido por todos los mensajes de apoyo y ánimo que he recibido. Hace 15 años llegué a este gran país junto a mi familia con la visión y determinación de cambiar nuestra suerte y el sábado os devolveré todo este cariño que me habéis dado con un título… pic.twitter.com/MbNPvSzelv
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) February 16, 2024
In the past, there have been many comparisons made between him and Conor McGregor. Whilst he has already managed to secure the title, he would do well to earn exorbitant amounts of money like the Irishman. Owing to Topuria’s hype, the UFC could be headed to Spain later this year. All things considered, Ilia is now one of the UFC’s biggest and most promising stars.