Ilia Topuria’s time in MMA may be shorter than many expect. Topuria has rapidly become one of the most recognizable figures in combat sports, propelled by his dominant run inside the UFC.
“El Matador” captured the featherweight crown with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024, then made history later that October by becoming the first fighter to ever knock out Max Holloway, successfully defending his title at UFC 308.
Topuria later vacated the 145-pound title and moved up a weight class, cementing his status as a two-division champion with a first-round knockout of former lightweight king Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 this past June.
Last month, the 28-year-old Georgian Spaniard announced he would step away from active competition to address personal matters. However, whenever his hiatus does end, the remaining length of Topuria’s MMA career remains an open question.
Ilia Topuria Suggests His Time in MMA Is Running Short
During a recent interview with Marca, Ilia Topuria opened up about his long-term plans in combat sports, admitting he doesn’t see himself staying in MMA for much longer and intends to eventually make a full shift into boxing.
The reigning UFC lightweight champion made it clear he has no interest in splitting his focus between two disciplines, explaining that he plans to compete in MMA for a little longer before fully committing himself to a complete transition and training for the squared circle.
“It’s no secret that I’ve always wanted to try my hand at boxing,” Ilia Topuria said. “But I think something I’ve always applied to my life is that if you try to catch two rabbits, you end up catching neither. So, I want to finish my story in mixed martial arts, in MMA, first, and once I’m done, then make my complete transition to boxing. I can’t be preparing for an MMA fight, then leave, prepare for a boxing match, come back… I don’t think that would be very professional, would it?
“Because boxing requires a completely different approach, very, very, very different training that I have to adapt to. Obviously, the timing is different, and well, it’s not even an Octagon; it’s a ring, and I would have to adapt to that, which takes time, like everything in life. So, right now, in mixed martial arts, when I finish—which I don’t think will be too long, to be honest—I’ll make my transition to boxing, and I’m going to surprise more than a few people.”
“El Matador” remains unbeaten in his MMA career at 17–0, including a perfect 9–0 run in the UFC, with a dominant resume featuring seven knockout victories and eight submission finishes.
