The year 2024 has been the year of Ilia Topuria. The Spanish-Georgian fighter won the UFC featherweight crown at the beginning of the year and in October he consolidated his reign. Without a doubt, the fights against Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway have been key to his success, but Below we review all the important moments of the year for the fighter.
UFC 298: the rise to glory
February 17. It was the moment that all MMA fans in Spain were waiting for and Topuria did not disappoint. Before the public at the Honda Center in Anaheim in California and with hundreds of thousands of fans following him into the wee hours of the morning‘El Matador’ delivered the blow in the second round. He cornered Volkanovski with a combination of blows and knocked him down with a lethal right hand.
‘El Matador’ is officially Spanish
March 5. The Government grants Spanish nationality to Ilia Topuriajust as Pedro Sánchez had already promised him. After his victory in the UFC, the champion was received upon his arrival in Spain by various authorities, including the President of the Government. ‘El Matador’ did not hesitate to ask Sánchez directly for what he most wanted at that moment: Spanish nationality. The wish was granted and days later —after twelve years living in Alicante—, the government made the announcement public.
Holloway wins the BMF and establishes itself as a rival
April 14. After several weeks of speculation about Topuria’s possible new rivalhis name materializes on the 300th anniversary of the UFC. Holloway dazzles with a victory against Justin Gaethje in the co-main event of UFC 300 and takes the BMF belt. After the fight he is clear: he wants to be the next one to face ‘El Matador’.
Birth of his second daughter
July 29. “There are no words that can describe this moment. Thank you, God, therefore,” he expressed on social networks. The fighter accompanied the text with an image in the delivery room with her newborn daughter and her partner, Giorgina Uzcategui. After a first part of the year focused on sports, summer brought Topuria a new vital milestone.
New WOW shareholder
August 20. The rise of Ilia Topuria has meant a revolution in mixed martial arts in Spain and a revitalization of the business sector. In addition to his sporting activity, ‘El Matador’ has also been involved as an investor. At the end of August it was made public: Topuria became a new shareholder of the WOW company FC MMA (The Way Of Warrior), one of the best-known MMA organizations in the country.
UFC 308: the reign is consolidated
October 26. At UFC 308 he left everyone who still doubted his leadership mute. Once again, the fighter fulfilled what he had said and made history again. With a strategy based on short distance work and incredible hitting power, The Spanish-Georgian achieved what no one had ever achieved: knock out Max Holloway.
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