Topuria tells Ali Abdelaziz not to bring his son into their ongoing dispute

Ilia Topuria has fired back at manager Ali Abdelaziz after Abdelaziz referenced his friendship with Topuria's son while welcoming the fighter back to social media following his UFC return.

Topuria made his position unmistakably clear, telling Abdelaziz not to use the relationship with his son as a shield in what has become a heated personal dispute. "Don't bring my son into this," Topuria said. "You being his friend has nothing to do with me and you. You know exactly why I said what I said. So don't hide behind him. Fuck you still stands." The fighter made plain that whatever sparked the original falling-out, he has no intention of walking back his remarks.

Topuria currently sits at the top of both the lightweight division and the pound-for-pound rankings, carrying a professional record of 17 wins and one loss. The 29-year-old, who represents Spain and trains out of Climent Club, has built his reputation as one of the sport's most dangerous finishers. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and mixes in nearly two takedowns per fifteen minutes, making him a complete threat wherever the fight goes.

Why it matters

• Topuria is the number-one ranked lightweight and pound-for-pound fighter, meaning any off-cage controversy carries extra weight inside the sport
• Ali Abdelaziz manages a large stable of high-profile UFC fighters, so the public nature of this dispute has broader implications within the MMA community
• Topuria's refusal to soften his language suggests this conflict is far from over, and it unfolded in the open on social media for the entire sport to see