There is a long list of fighters who turned their fortunes around after joining the UFC. That is exactly what happened with Topuria, who joined the company in 2020 and four years later became the champion of the featherweight division by defeating one of the greatest fighters in the company.

During those four years, he gained almost 2 million followers. However, before and after winning the title, he gained 1.1 million followers, bringing his total to 3.1 million followers and counting.

As per stats from Social Blade, Topuria’s monthly follower count increased by over 3000 in 2020, but in the last 30 days, he has gained over 1 million followers, indicating how defeating Volkanovski impacted his career.

There is no doubt that this is a huge turning point in his career, where he could potentially become the next Conor McGregor of the company.

Similarities between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor

Talking about similarities, both exude absolute confidence in their skills. However, when it comes to major similarities, notably after Conor McGregor’s first title win at age 27, he had a 15-fight winning streak, similar to what Topuria currently has.

Additionally, following the classic storyline where everyone was rooting for Volk as the people’s champ, Topuria entered the match with a persona similar to McGregor’s anti-hero image.

The Spanish fighter grabbed the belt from Volkanovski before winning it at the presser and engaged in other notorious actions, prompting many to draw comparisons between their behaviors.

Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor #UFC pic.twitter.com/r3zNSB6o9R

— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) February 18, 2024

Interestingly, after winning the belt, he also challenged McGregor, and if this match happens, it will go down as one of the greatest matches in recent times. Where two of the best talents and superstars from the UFC will share the octagon for glory.

The post Ilia Topuria Hits Another 1.1 Million Milestone After Upsetting Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 appeared first on The SportsRush.

Ilia Topuria’s win came as a shock to many who doubted him. Topuria’s family themselves were shocked as a video of them reacting to his win went viral on X.

you have to love Ilia Topuria’s family reaction to his win #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/8UPEdEw7oO

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) February 18, 2024

Here’s what fans had to say about the reaction that went viral on the internet:

“It is awesome seeing the families and countrymen react to new champions”

It is awesome seeing the families and countrymen react to new champions

— MegaDrive (@MegaDriv3) February 18, 2024

One user had this to say about Ilia Topuria’s family:

“I f*ckn loved watching that fr”

I fuckn loved watching that fr

— Ethan Newton (@ethanwnewton) February 19, 2024

Another user stated:

“This is BEAUTIFUL”

This is BEAUTIFUL

— Tyler Briskie (@TyBRISKIE) February 18, 2024

One user stated that Ilia Topuria’s family was wholesome:

“I love watching this kind of stuff, wholesome af”

I love watching this kind of stuff, wholesome af

— Paweł Pęczlaski (@huffypufy) February 19, 2024

Ilia Topuria feels divided on whether he should give Alexander Volkanovski a rematch

Ilia Topuria is now the champion and will now be thinking of who he should fight for his first title defense. The first name that pops to mind is Alexander Volkanovski, for an immediate rematch.

The Spaniard could look to solidify his legacy by giving ‘Volk‘ the rematch and beating him again. However, per MMA Junkie on X, the champ feels divided:

“I’m going to give him a rematch because he’s a good person, but at the same time, it’s time to move on. It’s time to clean up the division.”

Ilia Topuria is torn on the idea of a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski after his #UFC298 title win. pic.twitter.com/vx4ecw4bZy

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 19, 2024

Ilia Topuria has a big decision to make. However, one thing is for sure, no matter the opponent, he will make his first title defense in Spain, in front of his home crowd.

Following his victory against Alexander Volkanovski, he called out Conor McGregor in his octagon interview. The Spaniard wants to fight McGregor in the historic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

The post “Fu*kn Loved That”: Wholesome Video of Ilia Topuria’s ‘Beautiful’ Family Reacting to UFC 298 Win Has Fans in Awe appeared first on The SportsRush.

Alexander Volkanovski, at one point, was unbeaten in the UFC. Now he has won just one fight in his last four and things aren’t looking too good for him.

However, ‘The Great’, true to his moniker, is not giving up. He shared a message to his fans on YouTube and made them a promise:

“I definitely want that rematch, Spain is what I’m hearing is gonna happen, Dana wants Spain, obviously Ilia wants Spain……I’m gonna get that belt back, mark my words.”

Alexander Volkanovski revealed that he would be taking a break for some time. He also broke down the fight and pointed out his mistakes.

However, he does believe he was up on the cards going into the second round. Unfortunately for him, Topuria got him up against the cage and connected with a solid right hook.

‘The Great’ dismissed all excuses of why he lost the fight during a press conference.

Alexander Volkanovski dismisses ‘excuses’ for his loss and gives Ilia Topuria his flowers

Alexander Volkanovski is probably the classiest champion the UFC has seen. Even in defeat, he is always a class act, and he proved it during the post-fight press conference.

One reporter questioned whether Volkanovski took this fight too soon after getting knocked out by Islam Makhachev. ‘The Great’ responded by saying:

“You can’t take anything away from Topuria. If he puts a hand on you like that, you’re gonna go down. That was a clean right hand. No matter who you are.”

Alexander Volkanovski rejects the notion his 4-month turnaround from the KO vs. Islam Makhachev contributed to his #UFC298 title loss.

“That was a clean right hand. No matter who you are.” pic.twitter.com/jNzX6BEPlT

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 18, 2024

Alexander Volkanovski further added that he can’t take anything away from Ilia Topuria. The Spaniard caught him clean, and that is exactly what he was trying to do.

Volkanovski will now get some well-earned rest before vying for a rematch against the newly crowned champion.

The post VIDEO: Alexander Volkanovski Breaks Silence After UFC 298 Loss, Talks on Rematch in Spain, and More appeared first on The SportsRush.

Ilia Topuria is a family man, as are most Spaniards. They keep their family close to them. Topuria’s parents are Georgians who relocated to Spain with their sons.

‘El Matador’ has a brother named Aleksandre Topuria who recently signed with the UFC. The duo had been training together since they were kids.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by El Matador (@iliatopuria)

Apart from being a loving son and brother, Ilia Topuria is also a father. He has a son with his girlfriend, Giorgina Badell, a Spanish entrepreneur.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by El Matador (@iliatopuria)

There is not much public information about his son. Following his win over Alexander Volkanovski, Topuria revealed that Badell was pregnant with another child.

Ilia Topuria at his babys gender reveal 24 hours after beating Volkanovski pic.twitter.com/ZWNUUMTy4H

— (@ruebencarter02) February 19, 2024

He held a gender reveal party shortly after becoming champion. Badell is pregnant with a daughter, and Topuria looked elated.

The newly crowned champion does not think the Featherweight division has any worthy challengers.

Ilia Topuria claims the Featherweight division ‘sucks’ and no one deserves a title shot

Ilia Topuria is now the champion of the featherweight division and so all eyes are now on him. He dethroned one of the most dominant champions the division has seen.

So naturally, contenders will want to test out the new champion. However, in an interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, he had this to say:

“Right now, nobody. The division really sucks we need new challengers you know. We need a couple more fighters in the division so we’ll see what’s gonna happen in the future.”

Ilia Topuria says no one in the UFC featherweight division makes sense right now and the division really “sucks”

(: ESPNMMA/Youtube) pic.twitter.com/tFYQY93PCW

— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) February 18, 2024

Ilia Topuria does not have any solid plans for his next fight. However, he did call out Conor McGregor in his octagon interview. Fans are now wondering whether that fight will ever take place.

The post Ilia Topuria Family: Everything You Need to Know About His Kids appeared first on The SportsRush.

While the UFC CEO did not seem very enthusiastic about Topuria facing Conor McGregor’ however, when asked if the UFC is considering going to Spain, White said,

“I want to go to Spain too. We’re going to Spain. If there is a venue available for us, we’ll be there.”

Following this, a journalist asked Dana White if he would be willing to host a UFC event at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. For the uninitiated, The Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid is home to the soccer team Real Madrid.

The ground was recently renovated with a retractable pitch as well as a roof. The stadium is home to one of the most decorated soccer teams in Europe as well as the most followed sports team in the world.

When asked about the Santiago Bernabeu, Dana White had two questions, “How many seats is that? Indoor or outdoor?”. Once Dana White received satisfactory answers for both, he stated that he liked the idea and that it sounded good.

Whether the idea translates into reality remains to be seen. But UFC surely would like to bank on Topuria.

Ilia Topuria, the next big star that the UFC needed?

The UFC is currently in need of fighters to rise to the top. For a long time now, big names such as Conor McGregor and Jon Jones have been extremely sporadic in their activity levels.

To add to that, the likes of Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, among others, either retired or parted ways with the UFC. Therefore, the UFC does not have too many active big names left on the roster.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid)

Topuria’s title win immediately makes him one of the bigger stars in the UFC. ‘El Matador’ has a huge fan base in Europe and especially Spain. And with the performance he put on Saturday night, it is safe to say he has earned himself a huge fan base in the United States as well.

The post UFC CEO Dana White Expresses Interest in ‘Real Madrid Home Ground’ Event After New Spaniard Champion Ilia Topuria appeared first on The SportsRush.

This is probably why ‘El Matador’ decided to honor the country of Spain with a change in his walkout song. Topuria chose a famous song in the Spanish language called ‘Alma De Guitarra’ for his UFC 298 entrance.

Several fans may know that the 27-year-old walked out to ‘Love Tonight’ by Shouse (Vintage Culture & Kiko Franco Remix) for his previous fight against Josh Emmett at UFC on ABC 5.

But this time, he may have intended to celebrate his life with the ‘Banderas‘ composed ‘Alma De Guitarra’. The song talks about a Mexican wanderer who travels around and enjoys life. But it is in Spanish, which might have propelled ‘El Matador’ to elect it.

Currently, Topuria’s condition matches the life of the man described in ‘Alma De Guitarra’. He travels and fights wherever the UFC wants him to. He has a beautiful wife and the entire country of Spain loves him even more now as he has become the first-ever UFC champ from the country.

Several fans may have called Topuria delusional due to his tall claims before the fight. But he ultimately showcased a Conor McGregor-like feature with his win. His in-octagon interview got him in a clash with ‘Mystic Mac’ as well.

Which Conor McGregor-like ability did Ilia Topuria showcase with a victory at UFC 298?

Most fans may remember that ‘The Notorious’ used to predict the results of his fights accurately most of the time. This is why fans accepted his ‘Mystic Mac’ nickname at once. But it won’t be wrong to say that Topuria showcased that he was a mystic of greater order.

‘El Matador’ had updated his ‘X’ bio with “Undefeated 15-0 · UFC World Champion” several days before he dethroned his noted rival, Alexander Volkanovski. But their encounter proved that he was no less than McGregor when it came to mysticism.

The 27-year-old also called out the UFC’s biggest PPV star in a rather deriding manner. Fans are currently eager to know if this callout will lead to a McGregor vs Topuria showdown or not.

The post Ilia Topuria Walkout Song: What Song Did the New UFC Champion Use for the UFC 298 Main Event? appeared first on The SportsRush.

Ilia Topuria turned all his words into action at UFC 298. Topuria knocked Volkanovski out cold in the second round to become the new champion.

MMA Journalist Manouk Akopyan got a hold of the fighter pay and bonuses filed by the UFC with the California State Commission.

I obtained the guaranteed minimum purses and bonuses for #UFC298, as filed with the CSAC.

Alexander Volkanovski: $750,000
Ilia Topuria: $350,000

Here’s the earnings recap for the rest of the 11-fight card. pic.twitter.com/w9rOJQ52fY

— Manouk Akopyan (@ManoukAkopyan) February 17, 2024

As per the report, Alexander Volkanovski is the highest-earning fighter of the card with a whopping $750,000. The UFC did not list any win bonus for the main event.

Ilia Topuria had a base salary of $350,000, making him the second-highest-earning fighter on the card. The Spaniard’s win made him the new Featherweight Champion of the world.

Topuria did not hold back following his win. He called out to all the people that doubted him and did not believe that he could beat Volkanovski.

Ilia Topuria silences haters after knocking Alexander Volkanovski out

Ilia Topuria wasted no time in calling out the people who doubted him. The Spaniard was extremely confident, leading up to the fight, that he would become the champion.

Topuria called it his destiny and claimed it was something he worked his entire life for. During his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, he expressed:

“I feel so happy right now, they gonna tell you you can’t do it they gonna knock you down and doubt you……Look at me, look at me now.”

“Look at me now!”@Topuriailia believed in himself and got it done! #UFC298 | Live on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/PSwmWNrQYY

— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) February 18, 2024

Ilia Topuria went on to say how it was purely his hard work and consistency that made him a champion. The Spaniard was very emotional as he spoke with the belt on his shoulder.

On the other hand, Alexander Volkanovski hoped to secure a rematch against Topuria in Spain. However, the Spaniard has his eyes on Conor McGregor.

The post UFC 298 Purse and Payouts: How Much Money Did Ilia Topuria Make After Title Win Against Alexander Volkanovski? appeared first on The SportsRush.

Ilia Topuria: Earnings from UFC career

Topuria made his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 179 against Youssef Zalal on 10 October 2020. He also managed to gain a victory over his rival. A report from ‘Sports Lens’ reveals that he pocketed about $38.5k for this bout. However, he kept on winning, which improved his payout after every fight. The report also reveals that ‘El Matador’ has made about $550k from his six UFC fights to date.

Here’s a summary of what his estimated per-fight payout looks like:

UFC 298 is going to be the first event that ‘El Matador’ will headline. This is why his payout is expected to take a huge leap.

Ilia Topuria’s net worth

Topuria may have made $550k from his six UFC fights to date. But his total net worth stands a lot higher than his UFC career income. Several sources estimate his current net worth to be somewhere around $1M to $1.4M.

Ilia Topuria’s salary

Most fans may know that UFC athletes earn their salary per fight. Topuria earned a guaranteed fight purse of $100k for his last fight against Josh Emmett on 24 June 2023. This places him under the $100k salary belt for fighters in the UFC. However, nothing can be said about whether he will get a boost in his salary for his UFC 298 fight or not.

Ilia Topuria’s earnings from endorsements

The difference between Topuria’s net worth and UFC career earnings to date indicates that he has earned a lot of money from his ventures outside the UFC as well. A large part of it must have come from his brand endorsement deals. ‘El Matador’ is currently in a contract with some noted brands like Oblack Caps, Keio Mobile, and others. But there’s no official information about the worth of his deals.

An estimate of Ilia Topuria’s earnings from UFC 298

There are no pre-written guidelines about which UFC PPV fighters will get a share of its PPV sales revenue. But mostly the champions headlining UFC PPV events do get a share out of it. But the same cannot be said about their challengers. There are multiple instances of a non-champion UFC PPV main eventer getting barred from a share in the PPV revenue. However, the authorities have provided such fighters with PPV points in other cases.

A report from ‘Marca‘ says that Topuria will earn a base salary of $500k for his UFC 298 fight. The lower limit of his income lies at $532k since he will also pocket $32k as an incentive. But much like the former UFC middleweight king, Sean Strickland, Ilia Topuria’s earnings also might reach well past a million if Dana White and Co. allow him a share of UFC 298’s PPV revenues.

The post Ilia Topuria Earnings: How Much Money Did the Spaniard Make From UFC? What Is His Net Worth and Other FAQs? appeared first on The SportsRush.

The purses for UFC 298 are not officially out yet. However, Akopyan obtained the guaranteed minimum purses that the organization filed with the California State Athletic Commission.

I obtained the guaranteed minimum purses and bonuses for #UFC298, as filed with the CSAC.

Alexander Volkanovski: $750,000
Ilia Topuria: $350,000

Here’s the earnings recap for the rest of the 11-fight card. pic.twitter.com/w9rOJQ52fY

— Manouk Akopyan (@ManoukAkopyan) February 17, 2024

Here are the guaranteed purses for UFC 298:

Alexander Volkanovski: $750,000
Ilia Topuria: $350,000
Robert Whittaker: $300,000
Paulo Costa: $250,000
Ian Garry: $55,000
Geoff Neal: $108,000
Merab Dvalishvili: $105,000
Henry Cejudo: $150,000
Mackenzie Dern: $200,000

Alexander Volkanovski naturally has the highest guaranteed purse despite the result. This is because the UFC 298 card is based around ‘Volk‘. He is the main PPV attraction.

The Spaniard comes in at second place as the other name in the main event. Following closely behind is former champion and UFC veteran Robert Whittaker.

Paulo Costa comes in at third, which is not bad for his return to the UFC after a long lay-off. Mackenzie Dern comes in after Costa to secure a $200k payout at UFC 298.

Now with the stage almost set, Alexander Volkanovski is out to silence the Spaniard on Saturday night. He sent Topuria a final message ahead of the fight.

Alexander Volkanovski sends a final message to Ilia Topuria ahead of their UFC 298 main event

Alexander Volkanovski was a picture of tranquility as he went on stage for the ceremonial weigh-ins and the face-off. The Australian looked laser-focused on the stage.

Joe Rogan asked Volkanovski how he felt about Ilia Topuria being brash throughout the build-up to UFC 298. ‘The Great’ responded by saying:

“Yeah mate all that’s all over now. Now he’s gotta step in the octagon with me and I’m gonna show him. He crumbled at the presser, he’s gonna crumble tomorrow as well, And Still, let’s go.”

“AND STILL!”@AlexVolkanovski is ready to defend the featherweight title tomorrow night at #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/EGFngj6UpH

— UFC (@ufc) February 17, 2024

Alexander Volkanovski is done with the trash talk and the media. He can not wait to get into the ring against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 and silence him once and for all.

The post UFC 298 Purse and Payouts: Reports Reveal $750,000 to $200,000 Payday for ‘Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria’ Fighters appeared first on The SportsRush.

The UFC’s official broadcasting partner, ESPN, will provide live and exclusive coverage to UFC 298 as always. But the fans who want to witness UFC 298 on ESPN’s TV channel will have to be satisfied with viewing only the Prelims card. To watch the entire event, US fans will need to subscribe to ESPN’s streaming service, ESPN+, which comes at a subscription of $10.99/month or $109.99/year.

However, US fans will need to spend an extra $79.99 to witness the UFC 298 main card due to the PPV charges. However, there’s another way in which the fans can watch UFC 298 live. The UFC’s very own streaming platform ‘UFC Fight Pass’ also provides live and exclusive coverage of UFC’s events. Fans all over the world can purchase a UFC Fight Pass subscription for $9.99/ month or $99.99 annually.

But it’s pertinent to note that ‘UFC Fight Pass’ often discludes several fights from their broadcast depending upon the fan’s location. Hence, the best way for the fans to witness every fight of UFC 298 is to use a VPN. They just need to set their location to the US after activating it, and then buy the ESPN+ PPV subscription, costing $79.99. This will give them access to every inch of the UFC 298 live coverage from any location in the world, be it Australia, Spain, Brazil, or anywhere else.

The hype related to the UFC 298 main event fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria may have begun at the UFC 2024 Seasons Press Conference. However, the pre-UFC 298 press conference also displayed a similar scenario.

Ilia Topuria made a Conor McGregor-like move at the pre-UFC 298 press conference

Avid UFC fans may remember how the noted UFC icon, Conor McGregor stole the then UFC featherweight champ, Jose Aldo’s title during the pre-UFC 189 press meet. The current UFC featherweight king, Volkanovski’s rival, Ilia Topuria, imitated McGregor’s move at the pre-UFC 298 press meet. He went past Jon Anik to steal ‘Volk’s’ title on the other side of the table.

TOPURIA TOOK VOLK’S BELT #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/5H4CBp2q7h

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 16, 2024

Most fans may also remember how McGregor backed his brash actions with his UFC 194 performance. He KO’d the Brazilian champ within a minute of their fight, snatching the UFC featherweight gold from him.

Does Topuria’s action indicate that the UFC world will witness a similar obliteration at the UFC 298 main event? Well, only Father Time has the answer to this as of now. The fans will have to wait for the night of 17 February for the same. Hence, remembering the UFC 298 streaming details is of utmost importance to every UFC fan.

The post UFC 298 Streaming Details: Where and How to Watch Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria Event in Australia, Spain, Brazil, and Other Countries appeared first on The SportsRush.