UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is featured in a newly released podcast episode. The appearance offers fans an opportunity to hear from the champion.
UFC lightweight contender Ilia Topuria, known as "El Matador," has sat down for a newly released podcast episode, giving fans a fresh opportunity to hear directly from one of the sport's most prominent figures.
Topuria, 29, currently holds the number two ranking in the lightweight division and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a record of 17 wins and just one loss. The Spanish fighter out of Climent Club stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and brings a well-rounded orthodox game to the cage. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at a 48 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes and over one submission attempt in the same span — a combination that has made him one of the most complete fighters in the world.
Why it matters
- Topuria's pound-for-pound number one status means any public appearance draws significant attention from fans and media across the sport
- His move up to lightweight and current ranking at number two makes his comments on future matchups particularly relevant to the division's landscape
- A platform interview can shape public narrative around upcoming fights and negotiations
The podcast appearance adds to Topuria's growing profile outside the octagon, as the Georgia-born, Spain-based fighter has become one of the UFC's most marketable stars. With a near-perfect record and a seat at the very top of the pound-for-pound list, what "El Matador" has to say carries genuine weight in MMA circles.
