Ilia Topuria

“El Matador”

#1 Lightweight#5 pound-for-poundSpain / Georgia

17Wins

1Losses

0Draws

Professional record

Last 5: LWWWW

Compare with another fighter

Profile

Age: 29 (born January 21, 1997)
Born in: Halle
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 155 lbs.
Reach: 69"
Stance: Orthodox
UFC record: 9-1
Title fights: 4

How the fights ended

Wins in the UFC9

KO/TKO 6
Submission 1
Decision 2

Losses in the UFC1

KO/TKO 1

UFC career stats

Striking

Significant strikes landed per minute: 4.82 top 15%
Significant strikes absorbed per minute: 3.97

Striking accuracy50%Better than 80% of lightweights

Strike defense62%Better than 83% of lightweights

Grappling

Takedowns per 15 minutes: 1.73 top 40%
Submission attempts per 15 minutes: 0.9

Takedown accuracy57%Better than 90% of lightweights

Takedown defense95%Better than 97% of lightweights

Next fight

No confirmed fight yet. Topuria last fought on June 14, 2026 (Loss vs Justin Gaethje).

Booked fights appear here as soon as they are announced. See the full UFC schedule.

In the record book

About Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria "El Matador" is a lightweight mixed martial artist, born in Halle, Spain on January 21, 1997. Topuria is 5' 7" tall with a 69" reach. The official UFC rankings have Topuria at #1 in the lightweight division and #5 on the pound-for-pound list.

Topuria's professional career began in 2015, debuting with Mix Fight Events. Topuria arrived in the UFC with an 8-0 record. The UFC debut came at UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen in October 2020, where Topuria beat Youssef Zalal by decision. Across 10 fights in the UFC, Topuria is 9-1. Topuria first won a UFC title fight at UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria, beating Alexander Volkanovski, and has won 3 title fights in total.

A finisher on the feet, Topuria has won 6 of 9 UFC fights by knockout. In the stats, Topuria defends takedowns better than 97% of lightweights and lands more significant strikes per minute than 85% of lightweights. Notable wins include Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski, all UFC title-fight winners.

In UFC title fights, Topuria is 3-1. Topuria was 23 when the first UFC win came, against Youssef Zalal. Before and outside the UFC, Topuria fought in Mix Fight Events (3-0) and Brave CF (2-0).

Most recently, Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje by KO/TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June 2026.

UFC fight history

L

Justin Gaethje Title

KO/TKO · toCorner Stoppage · R4 5:00

UFC Freedom 250

Jun 14, 2026

97Str 1TD 1KD
W

Charles Oliveira Title

KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R1 2:27

UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira

Jun 28, 2025

21Str 0TD 1KD
W

Max Holloway Title

KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R3 1:34

UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway

Oct 26, 2024

75Str 2TD 1KD
W

Alexander Volkanovski Title

KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R2 3:32

UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria

Feb 17, 2024

35Str 0TD 1KD
W

Josh Emmett

Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria

Jun 24, 2023

152Str 3TD 1KD
W

Bryce Mitchell

Submission · Arm Triangle From Side Control · R2 3:10

UFC 282: Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev

Dec 10, 2022

40Str 0TD 1KD
W

Jai Herbert

KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R2 1:07

UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall

Mar 19, 2022

20Str 1TD 1KD
W

Ryan Hall

KO/TKO · Punches to Head On Ground · R1 4:47

UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3

Jul 10, 2021

18Str 0TD 0KD
W

Damon Jackson

KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R1 2:38

UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Vettori

Dec 5, 2020

31Str 0TD 1KD
W

Youssef Zalal

Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00

UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen

Oct 10, 2020

13Str 5TD 0KD

Full MMA career

Ilia Topuria is 17-1 across 18 professional fights in 6 promotions, since a pro debut on April 4, 2015 (Mix Fight Events). 8 of those fights were outside the UFC.

Pro wins17

KO/TKO 7
Submission 8
Decision 2

Pro losses1

KO/TKO 1

Finish rate: 88% of wins
Longest win streak: 17

Fights by promotion

Promotion	Record	First fight
UFC	9-1	2020
Mix Fight Events	3-0	2015
Brave CF	2-0	2019
CAGE	1-0	2018
Cage Warriors	1-0	2018
Climent Show MMA	1-0	2015

All professional fights

Result	Opponent	Method	Event	Date
L	Justin Gaethje	TKO (corner stoppage), R4	UFC Freedom 250	Jun 14, 2026
W	Charles Oliveira	KO (punches), R1	UFC 317	Jun 28, 2025
W	Max Holloway	KO (punches), R3	UFC 308	Oct 26, 2024
W	Alexander Volkanovski	KO (punch), R2	UFC 298	Feb 17, 2024
W	Josh Emmett	Decision (unanimous), R5	UFC on ABC: Emmett vs. Topuria	Jun 24, 2023
W	Bryce Mitchell	Submission (arm-triangle choke), R2	UFC 282	Dec 10, 2022
W	Jai Herbert	KO (punches), R2	UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall	Mar 19, 2022
W	Ryan Hall	KO (punches), R1	UFC 264	Jul 10, 2021
W	Damon Jackson	KO (punches), R1	UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori	Dec 5, 2020
W	Youssef Zalal	Decision (unanimous), R3	UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen	Oct 10, 2020
W	Steven Goncalves	KO (punch), R1	Brave CF 29	Nov 15, 2019
W	Luis Gomez	Submission (triangle straight armbar), R1	Brave CF 26	Sep 7, 2019
W	Brian Bouland	Technical Submission (anaconda choke), R1	Cage Warriors 94	Jun 16, 2018
W	Mika Hämäläinen	Submission (guillotine choke), R1	CAGE 43	Apr 28, 2018
W	Jhon Guarin	Submission (guillotine choke), R2	Mix Fight Events 28	Nov 5, 2016
W	Daniel Vasquez	Submission (rear-naked choke), R1	Mix Fight Events 26	May 7, 2016
W	Kalil Martin El Chalibi	Submission (rear-naked choke), R1	Climent Show MMA 4	May 9, 2015
W	Francisco Javier Asprilla	Submission (triangle choke), R1	Mix Fight Events 17	Apr 4, 2015

Full professional record from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Quick answers

What is Ilia Topuria's record?

Ilia Topuria's professional MMA record is 17 wins, 1 losses and 0 draws.

How old is Ilia Topuria?

Ilia Topuria is 29 years old, born on January 21, 1997.

How tall is Ilia Topuria and what is their reach?

Ilia Topuria stands 5' 7" with a 69" reach.

Who did Ilia Topuria fight last?

Ilia Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje by KO/TKO at UFC Freedom 250 on Jun 14, 2026.

Photo: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.