Aleksandre Topuria vs. Colby Thicknesse
Aleksandre Topuria made his promotional debut against Colby Thicknesse at the event in Sydney on February 8, 2025. The bout was initially set to be Topuria versus Cody Haddon, but an injury forced Haddon out and Thicknesse stepped in on short notice. The bout carried an obvious family-and-team storyline: Topuria is Ilia Topuria’s older brother, while Thicknesse trains alongside former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. The word “rivalry” in the headline oversold what was, on the evidence, a professional matchup between two debuting bantamweights.
A late opponent change
Topuria entered the week expecting Haddon, then had to prepare for a different opponent after the withdrawal. Thicknesse arrived unbeaten at 7-0 and was also making his first appearance in the promotion. The Australian was a long-time training partner of Volkanovski, who was in his corner. Ilia Topuria cornered his brother, creating an unusual scene in which two former featherweight rivals supported opposite sides of a separate bantamweight bout.
That connection gave the fight a promotional hook, but the athletes did not share the same championship history as their teammates. Ilia had stopped Volkanovski in 2024 to win the featherweight title. Before the contest, Aleksandre said there was no rivalry between him and Volkanovski, framing the matchup as a fight between him and Colby inside the cage.
Topuria controlled the debut
Topuria won by unanimous decision after three rounds. All three judges scored the fight 30-27 in his favor. The official recap described a composed, all-around performance in which he used pressure and grappling to keep Thicknesse working defensively. It was a valuable first result in a new organization, especially against an opponent whose undefeated record and last-minute selection had attracted attention before fight week.
Thicknesse did not lose his undefeated record before entering the bout; he lost it in the cage, where the judges’ cards reflected Topuria’s control over the scheduled three rounds. A short-notice debut is a demanding assignment because the opponent, preparation and tactical picture can change quickly. Still, Thicknesse accepted the booking and completed the fight. The scorecards provide a clear result without requiring the bout to be portrayed as a grudge match.
What the family storyline added
The brothers’ parallel careers naturally invite comparisons, but Aleksandre’s performance needed to be assessed on its own. He came into the event with a record and experience distinct from Ilia’s, and his debut win was one step in his own bantamweight run. Likewise, Volkanovski’s presence in Thicknesse’s corner showed their training relationship; it did not mean the former champion was a participant in the bout.
The event’s promotional framing connected the two camps because of their past featherweight title fight. Inside the cage, however, the contest was Topuria versus Thicknesse, with each fighter trying to make a strong first impression. Keeping that distinction clear gives the story its real point: a matchup shaped by a late replacement and notable corner teams, followed by a unanimous decision for the debuting Topuria.
Sources: official event recap and result; promotion profile of Thicknesse before his debut; report on Haddon’s withdrawal and Thicknesse stepping in; Topuria on the matchup and the two corners.
Video: The original clip is Thicknesse reacting to the booking before the fight, not highlights from the bout. Watch the original reaction on YouTube if the embedded player is unavailable.
Sources
Tags: MMA
