- Full Name: Ilia Topuria
- Nicknames: “El Matador,” “La Leyenda”
- Date of Birth: January 21, 1997
- Nationalities: Georgian and Spanish
- Height: 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
- Reach: 69 inches (175 cm)
- Typical Walkaround Weight: 180–190 lbs
- Official Fight Weight: 145 lbs (Featherweight), 155 lbs (Lightweight)
- Current Division: Lightweight (since 2025)
- Fighting Style: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and striking with a boxing-heavy influence
- Record: 16–0 (6 KOs, 8 submissions, 2 decisions)
- Titles: Former UFC Featherweight Champion
- Notable Wins: Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, Josh Emmett
- Current Fight Scheduled: vs. Charles Oliveira at UFC 317
- Official Source: ESPN Profile – Ilia Topuria
One of the most intriguing and contentious facets of Ilia Topuria’s career is his weight strategy. He has routinely hit featherweight at 145 pounds according to his official weigh-ins. Behind the scenes, however, his coaching staff has acknowledged that he frequently weighs an incredible 190 pounds. Because of this disparity, he is now one of the very few athletes in the sport who can lose more than 40 pounds in order to compete—a feat that seems both amazing and almost cruel.
With a seemingly minimal performance drop-off, Topuria has been able to compete in lower divisions by adhering to highly effective weight-cutting protocols, which include strategically dehydrating and rehydrating after a weigh-in. He is incredibly effective in the Octagon and, within 24 hours of leaving the scale, he frequently looks stronger than his opponents. His remarkable conditioning and recuperation skills are evident in the fact that many experts contend that his fight-day physique more closely resembles that of a welterweight than a featherweight.
But eventually, the strain of keeping such sharp cuts reached a breaking point. Topuria showed signs of exhaustion with the featherweight class despite his knockout victories over top fighters like Holloway and Volkanovski. This was not because of the competition, but rather because of the physical toll of constantly stripping down to 145 pounds. Topuria’s decision to relinquish his title was confirmed by UFC President Dana White in February 2025. The choice wasn’t made hastily; rather, it resulted from a confluence of factors, including his growing body size, changing priorities, and health issues.
This change occurs at a critical juncture in MMA, when discussions regarding weight loss and fighter safety are finally gaining traction. Topuria’s decision to advance puts her in line with an increasing number of fighters who have chosen divisions that better fit their physical characteristics. It’s especially encouraging that he prioritized performance and longevity over size advantage rather than pushing his body to risky limits. That choice demonstrates discipline as well as a remarkably sophisticated grasp of career sustainability.
His switch to lightweight introduces a fresh group of opponents and dynamics. There are plenty of athletes in the lightweight division who can match his power and walk in with comparable mass, unlike featherweight, where he towered with raw strength and refined striking. However, Topuria’s style, which was developed through years of focused jiu-jitsu training and refined through a boxing technique evocative of Canelo Álvarez, is still remarkably adaptable. He frequently lures his opponents into overextending by combining precise footwork, tight combinations, and submission threat with especially creative setups.
Another factor influencing Topuria’s weight class leap is perception. The legends—Khabib, Poirier, Makhachev, and now Charles Oliveira—all call Lightweight home. It’s a platform that provides prestige and challenge. To find out if Topuria’s dominance can keep up with him, he is scheduled to fight Oliveira for the vacant title. It’s a much better litmus test for how Topuria will handle the elite at 155, especially given Oliveira’s reputation for finishing prowess and tenacity.
Ilia’s weight journey has come to represent a larger change in MMA culture. In addition to being fighters in the cage, fighters are now athletes, strategists, and more conscious of how long their bodies can last. Younger fighters who are more concerned with the long term than with short-term dominance will especially benefit from this change, which has been sparked by examples such as Topuria’s.
In the end, Ilia Topuria’s ascent goes beyond a winning run. It involves navigating complexity, including weight management, tactical evolution, and establishing a career that strikes a balance between endurance and excellence. Even though he can’t cut to featherweight anymore, his mentality has never seemed more acute. Topuria may redefine what it means to be a double-division threat in the years to come—not by using force, but by adjusting with remarkable purpose and clarity.
