"Next BW champ after Merab" - Fans react after Ilia Topuria's brother Aleksandre officially signs with the UFC

As of Aug. 8, Ilia Topuria is no longer the only member of his family in the UFC. The UFC featherweight champion's older brother, Aleksandre Topuria, announced on his social media pages that he has officially agreed to a contract with the promotion.

Aleksandre Topuria, 28, is one year older than his brother and owns a 5-1 professional record. The Topuria brothers made their professional MMA debuts on the same night in 2015 but Aleksandre Topuria took a six-year layoff from 2015 to 2021 after suffering the first loss of his career while his brother kept fighting.

Fans were intrigued by the signing of 'El Conquistador,' who has been to all of his brother's UFC fights as a part of his corner. Since returning from his hiatus in 2021, Aleksandre Topuria has gone 3-0 with his last win in May 2023, one month before Ilia Topuria's main event win over Josh Emmett.

Due to the level of success his brother has reached, some fans reacted to the news by immediately giving the bantamweight high expectations. One fan called Aleksandre Topuria the "next bantamweight champion," commenting:

"Next BW champ after Merab"

Other fans commented:

"Wrongly placed bets incoming"

"Ilia's Artem Lobov"

"I've seen enough, give him Topuria"

View more fan reactions to Aleksandre Topuria signing with the UFC below:

Fans react to Ilia Topuria's brother signing with the UFC. [via @spinninbackfist on X]

---

Who is Ilia Topuria's brother, Aleksandre Topuria?

Aleksandre Topuria does not have the same resume that his brother Ilia Topuria has but has made his way into the UFC after just six professional fights.

As he announced on Instagram, Aleksandre Topuria has joined the promotion after months of rumors saying he would do so and is expected to make his debut in the coming months. Aleksandre Topuria has not fought since May 2023 with the Way of Warriors FC, beating Johan Segas by first-round TKO.

While his record is good on paper, Aleksandre Topuria has received criticism for his lack of quality competition. Unlike his younger brother, the Georgian has not been active in his career and owns just one win over a fighter with a winning record.

Aleksandre Topuria has also never fought in Spain, a trend he will have to break if he wishes to continue competing in the UFC.