Ilia Topuria Hits Another 1.1 Million Milestone After Upsetting Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298

There is a reason why every MMA fighter wants to be a champion of the UFC one day. Not only does it add glory to their name and build their legacy in this discipline, but it also brings the fighter what everyone directly or indirectly seeks: money and fame. This is exactly what happened with Ilia Topuria recently. Not only did he earn over $350k, he also gained 1.1 million followers on Instagram after winning the championship against long-time champion Alexander Volkanovski.

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.

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.

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• Alexander Volkanovski
• Ilia Topuria
• UFC 298