Who is Aleksandre Topuria? Top featherweight's brother who was expected to sign with the UFC
Mixed martial arts fighter Aleksandre Topuria was reported to have signed a UFC contract in early 2024. Alexandre is the elder brother of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and the reports of his signing with the UFC became a major talking point. This article explores Aleksandre Topuria's career trajectory.
Who is Aleksandre Topuria?
Aleksandre Topuria, 28, is the older brother of UFC featherweight contender Ilia Topuria. Aleksandre has competed mainly at weights ranging around the bantamweight and featherweight classes throughout his career.
Ahead of his UFC 298 fight against Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria confirmed in a Spanish-language interview with Enrique Gimeno in 2023 that his brother has signed on with the UFC and would be competing in March 2024.
Gimeno posted an excerpt from the interview on X:
"There will be 2 TOPURIAS in the UFC. Ilia Topuria confirms to me that his brother Aleksandre Topuria is already a UFC fighter Next Monday the COMPLETE INTERVIEW on my YouTube channel." [translation via X]
Aleksandre has not competed in the UFC for unknown reasons and information available online does not shed light on the reasons behind his absence from the promotion.
On the professional front, the elder Topuria sibling holds a professional record of five wins and one loss across six fights. Each of his six fights has been under a different promotion's banner. He has fought in the regional Spanish mixed martial arts circuit and made his debut in April 2015 against Andres Braulio Lazaro Chiguano. He won via an armbar submission.
Another rear naked choke submission win followed for Topuria in his next fight against Alejandro Rumin. Just 20 days after his second win, Topuria lost his first and only fight against Ivo Ivanov on the preliminary card of Mixed Fight Events. His loss came at a catchweight of 148 pounds.
A six-year hiatus from mixed martial arts followed for the elder Topuria sibling but then he came back with a vengeance in 2021. He has racked up three straight wins, one each year, via technical knockout before the news of his signing with the UFC emerged.
Aleksandre Topuria had outlined his goal to sign with the UFC
Aleksandre Topuria spoke to MMA Junkie in June 2023 and mentioned getting into the UFC as a goal of his.
He said in Spanish:
"Definitely that’s my objective right now – enter the UFC and represent the two flags. Everything for Georgia and Spain. I don’t see myself very far. I just need the right moment and right circumstance. I’m ready for whatever is to come."
Topuria also spoke about his brother being his primary rival and motivation.
"The fact that Ilia and I share this sport, it demands a lot from me. He’s my main rival, my brother is, inside the gym. So yeah, he demands for me to be a better fighter and better person every day.”
Check out his full comments in the interview on YouTube below: