Ilia Topuria may be the breakout star of 2024 in MMA and a potential Fighter of the Year. Now, it appears that MMA brilliance runs in the Topuria family, as his brother, Aleksandre Topuria, is set to make his UFC debut at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia, on February 9.
Aleksandre, who holds a 5-1 professional record, has finished all of his opponents in his MMA career. Reports suggest that his UFC debut will not be an easy one, as he is scheduled to face Cody Haddon in a preliminary fight on the stacked UFC 312 card.
Aleksandre, 28, is a year older than his brother, Ilia, the reigning UFC Featherweight Champion. Ilia has made a name for himself in the UFC by winning the featherweight title after defeating Alexander Volkanovski and then successfully defending his belt against BMF Champion Max Holloway, becoming the first fighter to knock out Holloway in the UFC.
Cody Haddon: Aleksandre's First UFC Opponent
Cody Haddon, who was a contender in Season 8 of Dana White's Contender Series, will be the opponent for Aleksandre Topuria in his UFC debut. Haddon earned his UFC contract with a first-round submission win over Billy Brand and followed it up with a unanimous decision victory over Dan Argueta in October 2024.
The fight against Haddon will be Aleksandre’s first in almost two years, as his last match occurred in May 2023. In that bout, he secured a first-round TKO win over Johan Segas under the WOW promotion.
Ilia Topuria’s Ambitious Plans for 2025
While Aleksandre’s debut has fans excited, his brother Ilia is focused on furthering his UFC career. Ilia recently announced that he plans to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Championship. Makhachev, the current number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, will be defending his title against Arman Tsarukyan in the first UFC event of 2025.
Ilia’s move to challenge for the lightweight belt signifies his ambition to become one of the top fighters across multiple weight classes, further solidifying his position as a breakout star in 2024.
Anshul Jubli Returns to UFC at UFC 312
In addition to the Topuria brothers, another fighter to watch at UFC 312 is Indian MMA star Anshul Jubli. After a tough loss to Mike Breeden at UFC 294, Jubli is set to make his comeback in February 2024. He will face Quillan Salkilld, who is also making his UFC debut. Prior to his loss, Jubli had remained undefeated in his professional MMA career, and he will be looking to bounce back and secure his first UFC victory.
UFC 312: A Night of Exciting Debuts and Comebacks
UFC 312 promises to be an exciting event, featuring a mix of debuts and comebacks from rising stars like Aleksandre Topuria and Anshul Jubli. With a stacked card and plenty of intrigue, fans will not want to miss these promising fighters in action in Sydney, Australia, this February.
