Ilia Topuria stands on the cusp of global stardom as he takes on Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC Featherweight Championship this weekend in Anaheim, California.
The Spaniard is undefeated inside the Octagon with a perfect record of 15-0. Ilia made history at UFC 298 as he became the first fighter to beat Volkanovski in the 145-pound division and that too in a championship bout. Topuria ended the bout via a KO at the 3:32 minute mark of the second round and became the UFC Featherweight Champion. He is now a massive star and over 80,000 soccer fans were on their feet when the new champ walked out unveil his championship infront of home fans.
“They’re going to witness how I am going to make history tomorrow night.”@TopuriaIlia is feeling very confident heading into #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/igHLtRE8Su
— UFC (@ufc) February 17, 2024
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In less than four years in the UFC, Topuria has become a big name in the featherweight division. With dominant finishes inside the Octagon and a persona that never fails to bring the heat into the fights, Ilia Topuria is a true entertainer.
However, we won’t be looking at Topuria’s journey inside the Octagon but dive into something completely different. The Spaniard has a great collection of tattoos on his body, so let’s try to understand the meanings and stories behind each of them.
The mysterious chest tattoo of Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria has a tattoo of a Tiger split in the middle by an equally ferocious man. Having a Tiger on your chest symbolises bravery and courage. But who is the man on his chest tattoo?
Some believe the man on Topuria’s chest to be Topuria himself. However, fans have not spared the chance to pass jokes about the mysterious person, some even calling him Heisenberg from the hit TV show Breaking Bad.
The tattoo also features the letter T in capitals on top with a set of wings, which most probably represents his second name. There’s a crown on the top, which also resembles former UFC champion Conor McGregor’s crown near the neck.
Ilia Topuria’s back tattoo is eerily similar to Conor McGregor
The Spanish fighter also has a tattoo of a woman, a warrior, and a wolf on his arms. The Warrior tattoo on his arms certainly speaks about his warrior spirit, while the wolf can denote loyalty and strength.
Along with his arm tattoo, another ink piece that the fighter likes to show off is his distinctive back tattoo. Ilia Topuria’s back tattoo features some serpents crawling the way up his spine right in the middle of his back, leading to wings with a cross in the middle. Ilia Topuria is a Christian by religion and the cross on his back symbolises his religious beliefs.
Copied for sure pic.twitter.com/sbLkoGuhPF
— The UFC Reporter (@ReporterUFC) December 6, 2020
Although Topuria’s tattoos seem distinctively unique and creative, there have been claims against him for copying his back tattoo from Conor McGregor. Moreover, his trash-talk and antics leading into UFC 298 have drawn similar comparisons, making it easier for fans to accuse him of copying.
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