Without question, Ilia Topuria has become one of the biggest names in the sport in recent years and the stats prove it.
The undefeated star has already accomplished incredible things inside the Octagon and it’s clear that he has connected with fans in a way that very few have in the past.
At UFC 317, the former featherweight champion will look to continue his remarkable rise when Topuria faces Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title.
With some big-name opponents in store for Topuria if he’s successful on June 28, it looks like his stock is only going to continue climbing if he’s able to keep delivering inside the Octagon.
While Topuria still has some big accomplishments in his sights, social media statistics show that he’s shortly set to join the very biggest names in the history of the sport.
Ilia Topuria on track to become just the fifth UFC fighter to surpass 10 million Instagram followers
When Ilia Topuria won the featherweight title and brought the belt back home to Spain, where he received a remarkable welcome, it was clear that the UFC had a new superstar.
With the support of both Spain and Georgia behind him, his potential to become a face of the promotion was apparent during his rise up the 145-pound division.
Topuria had already accumulated a huge following on social media before he held UFC gold and following his incredible performances against Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, that has only continued to climb.
The build to UFC 317 has also had a significant impact on his stock with fans gearing up for a blockbuster main event for the vacant lightweight belt, as Red Corner MMA broke down.
Over the past few days, Topuria’s Instagram has grown significantly, seeing him now hit a total of 9.5 million followers, with plenty of time for that to continue rising ahead of fight night.
This means he has now surpassed Jon Jones’ following (9.4 million), and he will likely become just the fifth UFC fighter to surpass 10 million, with only Conor McGregor (46.4), Ronda Rousey (17.1), Khabib Nurmagomedov (39.6) and Islam Makhachev (10.4) accomplishing this feat.
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Ilia Topuria has several ways that he can push his star status even further
Any rising star needs suitable opponents and rivals to continue elevating their career, which is something that Ilia Topuria isn’t short on.
If he leaves UFC 317 with the lightweight title, Topuria’s profile is only going to continue to climb, especially when he can keep this momentum going with several huge fights on the horizon.
A matchup with Justin Gaethje would be absolute dynamite but fights with his rivals, Islam Makhachev and Paddy Pimblett, who are two of the other biggest names in the sport, would take things to another level.
Not to mention a potential homecoming fight in Spain which would allow ‘El Matador’ to break new ground and really prove just how big he can possibly be.