Ilya Topria is a breakout star in MMA in 2024 and a potential Fighter of the Year. Now, MMA talent seems to run in the Topuria family, with older brother Alexander Topuria set to make his UFC debut at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia on February 9th.
With a professional record of 5-1, Alexandre has finished every opponent in his MMA career. Reports suggest that his UFC debut won’t be an easy one, as he is set to face Cody Haddon in a stacked card prelude to UFC 312.
At 28, Aleksandr is one year older than his brother Ilya, the current UFC featherweight champion. Ilya made a name for himself in the UFC by defeating Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title and then successfully defended the belt against BMF champion Max Holloway, becoming the first fighter to knock out Holloway in the UFC.
Cody Haddon: Alexandre’s first UFC opponent
Cody Haddon, a contender on Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series, will face Alexandre Topuria in his UFC debut. Haddon earned a UFC contract with a first-round submission victory over Billy Brand, followed by a unanimous decision victory over Dan Argueta in October 2024.
This will be Alexandre’s first fight with Haddon in almost two years since his last fight in May 2023. In that fight, he scored a first round TKO victory over Johan Segas under the WOW promotion.
Ilia Topria’s ambitious plans for 2025
While fans are excited about Aleksandr’s debut, his younger brother Ilya is focused on furthering his career in the UFC. Ilya recently announced plans to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Championship. Makhachev, currently the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, will defend his title against Arman Tsarukyan in the first UFC event of 2025.
Ilya’s move to challenge for the lightweight belt signifies his ambition to become one of the top fighters across multiple weight classes and further solidify his status as a breakout star in 2024.
Anshul Jubli returns to UFC at UFC 312
In addition to the Topria brothers, another fighter to watch at UFC 312 is Indian MMA star Anshul Jubli. Jubouri, who suffered a blowout loss to Mike Breeden at UFC 294, is scheduled to return in February 2024 to face fellow UFC debutant Quiran Salkild. Prior to the loss, Giubry was undefeated in his professional MMA career, but he is looking to bounce back and earn his first win in the UFC.
UFC 312: A night of exciting debuts and comebacks
UFC 312 is expected to be an exciting event, featuring debuts and returns from rising stars such as Alexandre Topria and Ansur Djoubry. With a stacked card and plenty of intrigue, fans won’t want to miss these up-and-coming fighters in action this February in Sydney, Australia.
