SUMMARY
- In an interview with Jon Anik, Ilia Topuria talked about his upcoming fight against Alexander Volkanovski.
- Ilia was asked to comment on the recent signing of his brother, Aleksandre Topuria.
The No. 3 ranked UFC featherweight, Ilia Topuria, has been making waves since his debut in the promotion. Topuria is a Spanish mixed martial artist with an undefeated record of 14 wins. The BJJ black belt has shaken the featherweight division with his elite striking and submissions. Ilia was able to finish four out of his last five opponents in dominant fashion.
Even in his last bout, the UFC fighter proved his metal by going up against an experienced Josh Emmett for five rounds and winning via decision at the UFC on ABC 5. The Spanish mixed martial artist is set to face the biggest challenge of his career in the form of one of the most dominant champions currently, Alexander Volkanovski, in the main event for UFC 298.
In his recent interview with UFC commentator Jon Anik, Ilia Topuria discussed his upcoming fight as well as his relationship with fellow Spanish athlete Sergio Ramos.
Topuria stated, “He [Sergio] text me during the fight week. He told me I want to come to watch you fight, I said it will be a pleasure. Yeah, you have to come. So he came. Now we have great relationship.” Both the athletes are known to be friends now, and Topuria expects Ramos to show up for his UFC 298 bout.
Ilia Topuria says UFC will love his brother Aleksandre Topuria’s fighting style
Ilia Topuria was also asked to comment on the recent signing of his brother, Aleksandre Topuria. He stated, “He will become a UFC world champion too; he’s very good, very talented, he’s good everywhere at the ground and wrestling and striking, very good style; they are gonna enjoy him with his style.” It seems that Aleksandre will soon be a fan favorite with his all-around skills and fighting style.
Topuria also went on to claim that his brother would soon become a UFC champion in the bantamweight division based on his ability and drive. Aleksandre Topuria is currently 5-1 in his professional MMA career. In his last bout, he faced Johan Segas at WOW 9, winning via TKO. He is currently on a three-fight win streak, with all first-round finishes coming in explosive fashion.
Ilia Topuria reveals Aleksandre Topuria could make his UFC debut really soon
Ilia Topuria was also asked about the supposed UFC debut timeline for Aleksandre. He shared, “I will corner him, and he will corner me all the time… After my fight, maybe one month after my fight, he is ready, trust me”. The two brothers share a close bond and are often seen training and hanging out together. Topuria stated that Aleksandre would soon be making his debut, which could be just one month after his UFC 298 bout.
The brothers will be cornering each other during the fights, and based on the challenge in front of Ilia, he will be requiring all the support available. His opponent, Alexander Volkanovski, is still undefeated in the division and has defended his title five times against the likes of elite featherweights such as Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, Jung Chan-sung, and Yair Rodríguez. However, it is still to be seen who will win the match at UFC 298.