Ilia Topuria is just days away from chasing his next dream. After vacating his featherweight title, he’s now set to fight Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt. However, before setting his sights on a second title, ‘El Matador’ revealed that his original dream was to win one belt, and defeating Alexander Volkanovski to claim it was a dream come true.
The undefeated Spanish fighter stepped into the octagon with many expecting Volkanovski to be the one to end his streak. But Topuria shocked the world by knocking out ‘The Great’ in the second round to capture the featherweight title. In a recent video, Topuria opened up about how he felt in that life-changing moment. The former featherweight champ shared:
“When I woke up in the morning and I was sitting in front of the window, I was like, I always dreamed about this day — that one day I’ll become the world champion — and today is that day.”
Ilia Topuria describes the feeling going into the championship fight with Volkanovski. 🫡
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 22, 2025
"When I woke up in the morning and I was sitting in front of the window, I was like, I always dreamed about this day — that one day I'll become the world champion — and today is that day." pic.twitter.com/yBij0TCfgT
Meanwhile, in just a few days, Topuria is set to face Oliveira as he aims to turn his second dream into reality. This fight is undoubtedly a crucial moment in the Spanish fighter’s career.
Ilia Topuria Confident Ahead of Title Fight, Vows to Dominate Charles Oliveira in Every Aspect of the Game
As UFC 317 approaches during International Fight Week, all eyes are on the lightweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. The tension has been building, especially after the two exchanged heated jabs on social media. Topuria, known for his confidence, didn’t hold back when responding to Oliveira’s claim of having more power.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MMA stories via Google! Follow Us
“That’s very, very wishful thinking — that he thinks he has a more powerful punch than me. I challenge him: we can do a separate boxing match, grappling match, wrestling match — everywhere, I beat him however I want,” Topuria told Kevin Iole.
The Spanish fighter made it clear he believes he’s superior in every area of MMA. Interestingly, Oliveira, usually silent on social media beef, has begun firing back, adding even more intensity to an already high-stakes showdown.
