"Enjoy it while it lasts" - Fans react to Ilia Topuria celebrating "birthday" of UFC belt on anniversary of his title win over Alexander Volkanovski
Ilia Topuria recently marked the first anniversary of his title victory over Alexander Volkanovski in an unusually eccentric manner. 'El Matador' captured the featherweight crown with a stunning second-round knockout victory over longtime champion Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024.
On Monday, Topuria completed a full year as the reigning champion and commemorated the milestone in a unique way—singing "Happy Birthday" to his 145-pound belt alongside his partner and son in a video shared on his Instagram Stories.
Check out Ilia Topuria's video below:
Fans had mixed reactions to Topuria's unconventional festivities, with many predicting that the undefeated Georgian’s reign would come to an end in his next title defense, while others simply appreciated his lighthearted approach to marking the occasion.
One fan wrote:
"Celebrate while it lasts... Movsar [Evloev] is coming for it."
Another wrote:
"Ilia, try not to be cringe = impossible."
Another commented:
"HAHA! This dude really threw a birthday party for his belt like it’s his baby. Bro, you’re just holding it for the next real champ. Enjoy it while it lasts. Cause when you fight someone real, that belt is gone."
Check out some more comments below:
'El Matador' last stepped into the octagon at UFC 308 in October 2024, where he secured a third-round knockout victory over Max Holloway in his first title defense. Topuria remains undefeated, boasting an 8-0 record in the UFC and a perfect 16-0 overall.
When Joe Rogan likened Ilia Topuria's pad work to Floyd Mayweather's
During an August 2024 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience featuring American neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, Joe Rogan analyzed a video of Ilia Topuria working the pads.
Rogan expressed being highly impressed by the UFC featherweight champion's remarkable punching technique:
"One of the things that is phenomenal about him is his technique. His technique is perfect. There’s no fat in his technique. There are no wasted movements, so when an opportunity presents itself, everything is so fast because the technique is so streamlined."
The seasoned UFC commentator proceeded to liken Topuria’s rapid hand speed on the mitts to that of boxing icon Floyd Mayweather:
"Look at how he hits the pads, and when you watch how he hits pads, Mayweather is a great example of that, as well. Some of the best hands in the sport... See how he’s moving his head when the guy throws punches? Slipping just slightly? The speed, man. The f**king speed of that. Look at the hand speed. F**king incredible. If you know how difficult that is to do and do it that fast."
Check out Joe Rogan's comments below (59:40):