Ilia Topuria reveals new nickname ahead of lightweight move
Ilia Topuria has a new nickname.
Topuria, who is vacating his UFC featherweight title to move up to the lightweight division, teased this past week that he would enter the octagon for his next fight with “a new identity” after being nicknamed “El Matador” throughout his fighting career.
Fans didn’t have to wait long to get the new nickname, as Topuria revealed he’ll be going by “La Leyenda,” which translates to “The Legend,” moving forward at a ceremony in Toledo, Spain on Tuesday. Topuria is getting a street named after him called Paseo Ilia Topuria, according to Mundo Deportivo.
“‘El Matador’ is something that has accompanied me throughout my entire sporting career, throughout my entire trajectory, and it’s something that’s led me to the new nickname,” Topuria said. “It’s always what I say: You need to believe. You need to see to believe. I believe it first, and then I see it. So the nickname that will accompany me in my next fights is going to be ‘La Leyenda.’”
Topuria competed twice in 2024, capturing the featherweight title with a sensational knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, and then became the first fighter to stop Max Holloway via strikes in his lone title defense at UFC 308 this past October.
UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Topuria would be vacating his title to move to the 155-pound division, and that Volkanovski will face surging contender Diego Lopes for the vacant title at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami.