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Ilia Topuria's brother Aleksandre to face Alexander Volkanovski teammate at UFC 312

The elder Topuria will now face another UFC debutant in Australia.

Drew Beaupre

(Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Aleksandre Topuria, the brother of undefeated UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, has a new opponent for his UFC debut on February 8.

Topuria Faces Alexander Volkanovski Training Partner On Short Notice

One of the biggest stars on the UFC roster at the moment, Ilia put himself in the “Fighter of the Year” conversation in 2024 by knocking out longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight belt in February before he defended it against another divisional legend in Max Holloway at UFC 308.

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It’s currently unclear who “El Matador” will fight to kick off his 2025 schedule, but for the moment the 28-year-old is focused on helping his older brother Aleksandre prepare for his Octagon debut at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia.

Ilia Topuria's brother Aleksandre to face Alexander Volkanovski teammate at UFC 312
Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Ilia Topuria moves in with a hit against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The elder Topuria was scheduled to make his promotional debut against Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Cody Haddon, but just couple weeks out from the event Álvaro Colmenero reports that HEX Fight Series Bantamweight Champion Colby Thicknesse is stepping in for a matchup between debuting prospects (h/t Giorgi Kokiashvili).

Prospect vs. Prospect At UFC 312

A training partner of former featherweight king Volkanovski, Thicknesse is a perfect 7-0 in his professional career and also closed out an impressive 8-1 amateur career by winning the 2020 IMMAF featherweight tournament.

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“Slicknesse” claimed the HEX Fight Series bantamweight belt via first-round finish in his last outing in November, and now the 25-year-old will try to make a huge statement in a short-notice UFC debut where he should command plenty of support from the Australian crowd.

An opponent switch on just a couple weeks’ notice certainly isn’t ideal for Topuria, especially given that he hasn’t fought since May 2023. The 29-year-old is currently on a three-fight run of first-round finishes heading into his Octagon debut, and his brother’s massive success in the UFC means the eyes of the combat sports world will be on him when he meets Thicknesse at UFC 312 on February 8.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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