Ilia Topuria recently vacated the UFC featherweight title in order to pursue a new ambition to become the next lightweight champion, and he’ll do so under a newly announced nickname.
Topuria revealed that he’s ditching his ‘El Matador’ moniker in favor of ‘La Leyenda’ [‘The Legend’] at a ceremony in Toleda, Spain yesterday to unveil a new street named after him in the city called, ‘Paseo Ilia Topuria.’
“El Matador’ is something that has accompanied me throughout my entire sporting career, throughout my entire trajectory, and it’s something that’s led me to the new nickname,” Topuria explained. “It’s always what I say: You need to believe. You need to see to believe. I believe it first, and then I see it. So the nickname that will accompany me in my next fights is going to be ‘La Leyenda.’”
The 28-year-old Topuria has certainly made a big impact in his UFC career so far since joining in 2020, taking his overall career record to a perfect 16-0 after racking up 8 wins in a row in the promotion, including a stunning 2024 campaign that saw him knockout out two 145lb stars who are already considered legends in Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.
Topuria is now betting big on his own ability by giving up his 145lb title to pursue the 155lb strap, but at this stage it’s not yet clear if he will get an immediate title short or will have to face a leading contender, with ex-lightweight champion Charles Oliveira being one option that’s been rumored recently.
