The semi-final matchups are confirmed, with Ian Garry set to face Ilia Topuria and Jon Jones squaring off against Cyril Gane. The two bouts will determine who advances to the tournament final.
Two of combat sports' most anticipated matchups have been locked in for the tournament semi-final stage, with Ian Garry set to meet Ilia Topuria and Jon Jones squaring off against Cyril Gane. The winners of both bouts will advance to the tournament final.
Ilia Topuria enters as the pound-for-pound number-one ranked fighter in the world and the second-ranked lightweight on the planet. The 29-year-old Spaniard carries a 17-1-0 record and fights out of Climent Club. Standing five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, "El Matador" is a relentless offensive presence, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also averaging 1.96 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His opponent, Ian Garry, rounds out what promises to be a striking-heavy contest at welterweight.
Jon Jones, meanwhile, brings one of the most decorated resumes in MMA history into his semi-final clash with Cyril Gane. "Bones" is 38 years old and holds a 28-1-0 record. The orthodox heavyweight stands six-foot-four with an extraordinary 84-inch reach — 213 centimeters — and lands 4.38 significant strikes per minute at a sharp 58 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a threat across every phase of the fight.
Why it matters
- Topuria enters as the world's top pound-for-pound fighter, raising the stakes of any tournament he competes in.
- A Jones victory would put him one fight away from another championship-level crowning moment at age 38.
- Both semi-finals feature elite strikers with strong grappling credentials, promising a high-skill final regardless of who advances.
- The two bouts together represent a genuine who's-who of the current MMA landscape, with divisional hierarchies likely reshuffled by the outcomes.
