Ilia Topuria, vacating his UFC featherweight title to move to the lightweight division, has adopted the new nickname “La Leyenda,” revealed at a ceremony in Toledo, Spain.
Ilia Topuria’s got himself a fresh nickname. Yep, he’s stepping away from his UFC featherweight title to jump into the lightweight division. And with this move, he hinted at a “new identity” for his next octagon appearance—shedding the old “El Matador” moniker.
Fans didn’t have to twiddle their thumbs for long. In Toledo, Spain, during a ceremony on Tuesday, Topuria spilled the beans: he’ll now be known as “La Leyenda,” or “The Legend.” Oh, and fun fact: there’s a street named after him now—Paseo Ilia Topuria. Quite the honor!
Reflecting on his journey, Topuria remarked, “‘El Matador’ has been with me through my entire career. It’s what led me to this new nickname.” He believes in seeing to believe—or is it believing to see? Either way, “La Leyenda” is the name he’ll carry into future fights.
2024 was quite the year for Topuria. He snagged the featherweight title with a jaw-dropping KO of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. Not stopping there, he made history by being the first to stop Max Holloway via strikes during his sole title defense at UFC 308 in October.
And now? UFC CEO Dana White announced Topuria’s leap to the 155-pound division. This means Volkanovski will take on rising star Diego Lopes for that vacant featherweight title at UFC 314 in Miami come April 12. Exciting times ahead!