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Ilia Topuria had an extraordinary 2024, solidifying his position as a dominant force in the UFC featherweight division.
The undefeated fighter’s knockout victories over Alexander Volkanovski to claim the title in February and Max Holloway in October’s title defense have caught the attention of UFC Hall of Famer and commentator Daniel Cormier.
For Cormier, Topuria’s skill and dominance are undeniable, but he acknowledges that the rising star doesn’t yet have the same name recognition as Volkanovski or Holloway. However, "DC" believes the Spaniard's recent victories and growing exposure could propel him to superstardom.
You have to beat the prior generation to take from it,” Cormier explained to MMA Junkie. “It’s like [professional] wrestling. The old champion gets pinned by the new champion to build. That’s why The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hulk Hogan, and Hogan didn’t like to get pinned. But they needed him to get the rub. Now, what Ilia is going to do is take a lot of that shine from Volkanovski and Max — especially if Volk gets a rematch and he beats him again — and turn that into global superstardom.
Cormier emphasized that Topuria’s ability to draw numbers will be tested in fights against less established names.
I think he’s still got work to do at 145,” Cormier said. “Unfortunately, he’s going to beat the guys that sell early, so he’s going to have to carry Diego Lopes, he’s going to have to carry [Movsar] Evloev to numbers. Because the numbers in the weight class now for the last nine years have belonged to Volkanovski and Holloway. He’s going to have to carry those new guys because they don’t have the cache that these last two had.
As Topuria continues to dominate, his ability to grow into a marquee star will depend on how effectively he can translate his in-cage success into broader fan appeal, particularly against up-and-coming opponents.