By delivering electrifying knockouts over former champion Alexander Volkanovski and the legendary Max Holloway in the span of eight months, UFC featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria can count himself among the top MMA fighters in the world, with him residing at number four on the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings as of this writing. Now a cemented champion with one title defense over the aforementioned Holloway in 2024, Topuria will look to improve upon his budding reign and legacy with an even more spectacular 2025.
This endeavor will not come without its challenges, however. From more former title holders to divisional dark horses, the Spaniard will have a lot on his plate heading into the new year.