Ilia Topuria and Volkanovski, duel in the corners in the debut of Aleksandre Topuria in the UFC

War bells sound. We have entered the ‘Fight Week’ or week of the fight of one of the most anticipated moments in recent within the Spanish martial arts (MMA): Aleksandre Topuria’s debut in the largest league of this discipline worldwide, The UFC. The conqueror, as he is nicknamed during the early hours female straw weight).

And that is where a curious situation will occur, which could keep behind a hypothetical ad, although there is nothing official. Ilia TopuriaAleksandre’s brother and current UFC weight champion, will be on the corner of El Conqueror, just as he has done throughout El Matador’s professional career. But there is more. The man whom Ilya snatched the title in February 2024, Alexander Volkanovskiwhich has been asking for a while, it will be located on the opposite side of the octagon, but below, doing the corner of Aleksandre’s rival, Colby Thicknessewhich also premieres in the UFC.

It will be a moment that the American promoter could take the opportunity to sell the possible next Topuria fight against Volkanovski, in which she would mean her second defense of the title (she already won Max Holloway in October 2022) although the pressure exerted by the representation team From the Hispanic-Georgian could postpone this idea to execute the greatest fight that can be made currently: face the lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. While everything finishes negotiating, Topuria will see the faces – with the octagon in between – with Volkanovski, then The Australian is Thicknesse’s training partnerwhich has taken a step forward in a short warning, in the absence of two weeks, due to an injury to Aleksandre’s original rival.

It was Coddy Haddon, also Australian, who was going to fight the conqueror, but was forced to leave the billboard due to an injury that has not transcended. With that scenario, Thicknesse, coach by Joe López and the Freestyle MMA gym, wanted to take the opportunity to sign for the UFC, although the lawsuit ahead will be of great complexity, since Aleksandre starts as a favorite. At the time he knew Haddon’s injury, the American promoter got down to work to find an opponent for the conqueror, and found it in Australian lands, so, if there is no last minute setback, it will be a premiere relatively comfortable for the Hispanic-Georgian. Fighting in the UFC is never simple, but Thicknesse’s short warning and being a debutant could pave the path to Aleksandre’s victory more. It will be played again to Spain.