Ilia Topuria is one of the UFC's most explosive featherweight champions, and flow rolling with brother Aleksandre remains a genuine family tradition. The Georgian-Spanish standout and his brother both earned black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2018, training together at Climent Club after their family moved from Georgia to Alicante, Spain, in pursuit of Olympic wrestling dreams. Ahead of UFC 312 in 2025, the UFC's own channel released footage of the brothers grappling together in a relaxed, technical session, showcasing the same shared foundation that has carried both into the octagon. Ilia went on to knock out Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title that year. Known for relentless pressure and ferocious knockout power, Topuria's bond with his brother remains one of combat sports' most genuine family stories.
Ahead of UFC 312, the UFC released footage of featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and his brother Aleksandre sharing a relaxed, technical grappling session — a glimpse into the shared foundation that has defined both men's careers in combat sports.
The clip is far from a novelty. The Topuria brothers both earned black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2018, training together at Climent Club in Alicante after their family relocated from Georgia to Spain in pursuit of Olympic wrestling. That same gym remains their base today, and flow rolling together is genuinely part of how they prepare.
Ilia, nicknamed "El Matador," carries a 17-1 record and holds the number-one spot in both the featherweight divisional rankings and the pound-for-pound standings. The 29-year-old, who represents Spain, stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and brings relentless pressure backed by serious finishing ability — he averages 4.81 significant strikes per minute and lands 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes. He secured the featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski.
Aleksandre, known as "El Conquistador," is 30 years old and carries a 7-1 record of his own. The Georgian-born fighter shares his brother's five-foot-seven frame and orthodox stance, and has shown sharp hands inside the octagon, landing 2.93 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent. He also contributes 1.5 takedowns per 15 minutes, reflecting the same wrestling-rooted grappling background.
Why it matters
- The footage reinforces how central jiu-jitsu and wrestling remain to both brothers' competitive games, not just their backgrounds.
- Ilia enters UFC 312 as the reigning featherweight champion and pound-for-pound number one, meaning any camp insight draws legitimate attention.
- The Topuria family story — relocated from Georgia for wrestling, now producing two professional UFC fighters — stands as one of combat sports' more compelling journeys.
