Aleksandre Topuria Signs With UFC and Wins His Debut
Aleksandre Topuria, older brother of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, signed with the UFC in August 2024. He later made his promotional debut at UFC 312 in Sydney, where he defeated Colby Thicknesse by unanimous decision.
A UFC contract and a family connection
Topuria announced his signing on social media, describing his long-standing desire to compete at the highest level. His arrival drew attention because Ilia had recently become UFC featherweight champion with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. Aleksandre had also been part of his brother’s corner team, but the contract gave him a chance to build his own career in the promotion.
At the time of the signing, Aleksandre was a bantamweight with a 5–1 professional record. His relatively limited activity compared with some UFC prospects made the contract notable, but it also meant that the key question was how his regional experience would translate against UFC-level opposition.
Debut win at UFC 312
Topuria made his UFC debut on February 8, 2025, against Australian Colby Thicknesse, who stepped in on short notice. Topuria controlled the fight over three rounds and earned a unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 30–27. It was a composed first appearance and a strong start to his UFC run.
The result gave the older Topuria brother a win of his own inside the Octagon, separate from Ilia’s championship achievements. His signing brought extra attention; the UFC 312 performance was the first concrete evidence of how Aleksandre could compete on the promotion’s stage.
UFC debut: Aleksandre Topuria def. Colby Thicknesse by unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) — UFC 312, February 8, 2025.
Sources
- MMA Fighting: Aleksandre Topuria signs with the UFC
- UFC: Official UFC 312 scorecards
- UFC: UFC 312 preliminary results
Sources: ufc.com
Tags
MMA, Combat Sports
