Ilia Topuria has burst onto the UFC stage as a real-life Superman—wreaking havoc in the 145lbs division before charging into lightweight with the same unstoppable force. Famed for his devastating knockout power, ‘El Matador’ has forged a fearsome legacy by dismantling opponents in the early rounds. Since his UFC debut, he’s remained unbeaten, securing vicious finishes over featherweight icons like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.

Just last month, the Georgian standout once again flexed his raw power, seizing the vacant lightweight title and etching his name into history as the UFC’s first-ever undefeated two-division champion with a pristine 17-0-0 record. His triumph over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 reaffirmed the notion that size doesn’t matter.

Now, with Ilia Topuria preparing for his first title defense, potentially against Paddy Pimblett or another rising contender, Alexander Volkanovski says he’s discovered the ‘kryptonite’ to shut down the knockout artist.

What’s the Secret to Defeating Ilia Topuria?

In MMA, the term “gas tank” is often used to describe a fighter’s cardio—their ability to maintain pace and performance deep into the later rounds. Over the years, stars like Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor, despite being devastating knockout artists, have struggled when their energy faded after explosive starts. On the other hand, fighters like Diaz brothers became fan favorites for their relentless pressure and unmatched endurance, maintaining power and pace throughout all five rounds.

That same reputation followed UFC featherweight GOAT Alexander Volkanovski, long praised for his exceptional cardio. But when he faced Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, his gas tank never got a chance to come into play. ‘El Matador’ overwhelmed him early and scored a brutal second-round knockout, never allowing the fight to go into deep waters. Following Topuria’s recent win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, ‘The Great’ appeared on Flagrant on YouTube and revealed what he believes is the blueprint to beat the undefeated champion,

“You have got to mix it up with Ilia. Wrestle him. We have to see his gas tank tested. To beat him, you have to wear on him a little bit.”

Although the UFC never truly tested Ilia Topuria’s cardio, Merab Dvalishvili, one of the UFC’s top cardio machines and Topuria’s fellow countryman, had a completely original experience. While ‘The Machine’ didn’t directly question ‘El Matador’s gas tank, the UFC bantamweight champion revealed last month that Ilia has “great wrestling” and “jiu-jitsu,” even admitting he “can’t spar with him anymore.” Even the UFC’s cardio elite can’t keep up with his fellow Georgian in training.

Ilia Topuria breaks silence on Volkanovski rematch

Ilia Topuria has made it clear: he’s only looking ahead. Staying true to that mindset, the undefeated champion has ruled out any possibility of a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski — the very man he defeated decisively last year in Abu Dhabi. In that bout, ‘El Matador’ handed ‘The Great’ his first-ever UFC loss at featherweight. Now a two-division champion with a spotless record, Ilia Topuria described the achievement as “another dream come true.”

With his momentum at an all-time high, he’s preparing for his next title defense — a moment he says he feels both “excited” and “blessed” for. Alexander Volkanovski, who reclaimed the vacant featherweight belt earlier this year after Topuria moved up in weight, battled Diego Lopes in a five-round war to recapture the throne. But despite the renewed title status of the Australian star, the Georgian star has no intention of running it back. In a recent interview with news.com.au, Ilia Topuria shut down the idea of a rematch once and for all,

“Never (again), all with Volk is done. First of all, because I’m not planning to go back to the featherweight division again. And the second thing is that I don’t think that they (the UFC) are gonna allow him to move up to the lightweight division. OK if he does it, I don’t think that he deserves the title shot directly.”

Former champ Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson compared Topuria’s mentality to Muhammad Ali, calling him “like how Muhammad Ali was… He’s the new Neo”. Meanwhile, Michael Bisping described the Oliveira knockout as looking like “he had been shot in the head,” emphasising its brutality

What do you think — if Alexander Volkanovski makes a move to 155 in the near future, can he redeem himself and settle the score with Ilia Topuria? Share your thoughts below.