Recently-crowned UFC champion Ilia Topuria has shed some light on when he expects to step into the Octagon next and outlined some future plans for his combat sports career.
“El Matador” extended his unbeaten record and claimed the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298 when he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, who is considered by some fans to be the greatest fighter in the history of the weight class.
Topuria seems particularly interested in headlining an event in his home country of Spain as soon as possible, and during a recent interview with El Partidazo de COPE (h/t @Pelunaton) the 27-year-old revealed that he hopes to return to the cage in October or November.
The news of a return timeline will certainly fuel fan speculation around who Topuria will face in his next fight, and in the same interview the featherweight titleholder also indicated that he hopes to compete in at least one or two boxing bouts at some point in the future.
It’s not uncommon for UFC champions to tease the idea of testing themselves in boxing, but given that “El Matador” has already established himself as one of the more impressive strikers on the roster a potential boxing debut could be a huge event for combat sports fans.
Topuria doesn't seem to be in any rush to step into the boxing ring just yet, and given that he only plans to return to the Octagon towards the end of the year that could open the door for Volkanovski to campaign for an immediate rematch following the Australian's back-to-back knockout losses.
More must-reads: