When Dana White and Co. shared the initial fight card for UFC’s first Saudi Arabia event, they had to change it since the Saudi officials did not find it enticing or interesting enough. Well, they are not willing to make the same mistake again ahead of the promotion’s maiden event in Qatar on November 22. The fight card looks absolutely stacked for the Doha event, with recent reports claiming that lightweight champion Ilia Topuria’s older brother has also been added to the event.

Given that Ilia Topuria has become one of the UFC’s top stars in the current era, Aleksandre Topuria‘s Octagon exploits often go under the radar. But then again, he made his UFC debut just this year at UFC 312, so it’s understandable that the lightweight champ’s brother is not one of the most talked-about fighters on the roster at the moment. But that could change pretty soon, as he’s got his next fight against a relative newcomer.

Ilia Topuria’s brother to fight at UFC Qatar

Dana White revealed his intentions to put on a great show in Qatar after adding two high-stakes blockbuster fights. The first is a lightweight clash between Dan Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan, and the other fight is a welterweight showdown between Ian Garry and former champion Belal Muhammad. According to MMA enthusiast ‘Pelunaton’ on X, Aleksandre Topuria will fight Bekzat Almakhan. However, Dana White and Co. have yet to announce that Ilia Topuria’s brother is also on the card.

Another report from Marcel Dorff has revealed that undefeated prospect Luke Riley will make his UFC debut in Qatar against Bogdan Grad, but just like Aleksandre’s fight, the official announcement of this matchup is also pending.

The reports regarding Aleksandre Topuria’s UFC Qatar fight surfaced last month when Marca‘s Irati Prat broke the news with a tweet. It seems that the tweet has gathered steam, and others are doubling down on the fact that he’s fighting Bekzat Almakhan indeed. Aleksandre is also undefeated like his champion brother, but some people, including Henry Cejudo, are not sold on the fact that he’s as good as Ilia Topuria.

Aleksandre Topuria failed to ‘impress’ Henry Cejudo

‘El Conquistador’s debut in the UFC wasn’t very flashy. He scored a unanimous decision victory over Colby Thicknesse, who also made his debut that night in February. A win is a win, but the lack of action rubbed veterans like Henry Cejudo the wrong way. After the PPV, ‘Triple C’ revealed that Aleksandre Topuria did not showcase an exceptional performance.

He did not mince his words and shared a rather straightforward assessment. “The biggest favorite on the card, and he fought with no intensity. I wasn’t too impressed with Alexandre Topuria in his [UFC 312] debut,” Henry Cejudo tweeted about his bantamweight rival. But then, it appeared as if Cejudo backed out of his claim because he later deleted that post from X.

Despite being the lightweight champion’s coach, Aleksandre Topuria still has a lot to prove in Dana White‘s promotion. Can he do that at UFC Qatar? That remains to be seen. But in the meantime, let us know your thoughts and your predictions for the Doha Fight Night event in the comments section below.