Ilia Topuria has reworked his chest tattoo, replacing the previous design with an image of a warrior wearing a Corinthian helmet, most likely depicting a Spartan. The original tattoo featured a tiger with a face inside that resembled Topuria himself, though the post notes uncertainty about the exact identity of the original portrait. The new design maintains the tiger but substitutes the face with the helmeted warrior imagery. The change represents a significant artistic shift in the featherweight champion's body art. The motivation behind choosing Spartan warrior imagery was not explained in this announcement.
Ilia Topuria has updated his chest tattoo, swapping out the previous design for an image of a warrior wearing a Corinthian helmet in what appears to be a Spartan-themed piece, according to a recent social media post.
The original tattoo featured a tiger with a human face inside it, reportedly resembling Topuria himself, though the exact identity of the portrait subject was noted as uncertain. The reworked design retains the tiger but replaces the face with the helmeted warrior imagery, representing a notable artistic shift for the featherweight champion.
Topuria, 29, currently competes at lightweight in the UFC and holds the number-two ranking in that division while sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings. The Spanish fighter, who trains out of Climent Club, carries a professional record of 17 wins and one loss. Standing five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, he fights out of an orthodox stance and has built a reputation for well-rounded finishing ability, averaging 4.81 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy, while also recording 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes.
No explanation for the choice of Spartan warrior imagery was provided alongside the announcement.
