UFC News: Ilia Topuria Claims Next Title Fight Is Booked - "El Matador Is Back"

Fans have eagerly awaited news regarding Topuria's first title defense.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has informed fight fans that he’ll be returning to the Octagon soon.

Conor McGregor Says He’d ‘Slap Around’ Ilia Topuria in BKFC, UFC Champ Responds

Ilia Topuria Drops Huge Update

“El Matador” added to his unbeaten record and claimed the UFC featherweight belt at UFC 298 when he knocked out longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski, who had defended the title five times and was previously undefeated in the weight class.

The 27-year-old has gone back-and-forth with former featherweight titleholder and current “BMF” Champion Max Holloway regarding his first title defense, and now Topuria claims that the fight has officially been signed.

It seems that the UFC has forced him to say yes. El Matador is back. Congratulations to all @ufc fans.

— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) July 24, 2024

Max Holloway Hard At Work

Although he didn’t outright confirm the fight like Topuria, Holloway quickly followed the champion’s update with a post of his own showing the 32-year-old getting some reps in at the gym.

Patiently waiting. #blessedexpress pic.twitter.com/vVmUFQCzkl

— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) July 24, 2024

“Blessed” lost his featherweight belt to Volkanovski at UFC 245 and also came up short in his second and third meetings with the Australian, but he’s currently on a three-fight win streak that most recently saw him knock out Justin Gaethje in a lightweight bout at UFC 300 to claim the “BMF” title.

Neither of the posts from Topuria and Holloway provide any indication of when exactly the two men will square off for the featherweight title, but after Ariel Helwani debunked a rumor that the two would headline UFC 306 (also known as "Riyadh Season Noche UFC") at Sphere all signs seem to point towards UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, UT on October 5.

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