Aleksandre Topuria has put an end to any lingering tensions between his camp and Alexander Volkanovski following UFC 312, emphasizing that there is “nothing but respect” between them. The Spaniard, who made his UFC debut today against Colby Thicknesse, addressed the media regarding the perceived rivalry due to Thicknesse’s connection with Volkanovski, and Volk’s rivalry with his brother, Ilia.
Ilia’s rise to stardom was, in part, shaped by his rivalry with Volkanovski. The Spaniard knocked out Volk at UFC 298 to become the featherweight champion. Prior to this day, Volkanovski had never tasted defeat inside the UFC octagon. He had been a dominant champion with 5 successful title defenses to his name.
Volk has since been asking for a rematch and it seems fate is headed that way. But Aleksandre doesn’t see this as a personal rivalry. Rather than fueling any animosity, the older Topuria brother gave Volk his flowers and said,
“I always shake his (Volkanovski) hand… He works hard, he’s a great father, he’s a great man, a great countryman. … He made my brother bigger. He made me bigger.”
Aleksandre Topuria says there’s “nothing but respect” between his team and Alex Volkanovski after #UFC312:
“He works hard, he’s a great father, he’s a great man, a great countryman. … He made my brother bigger. He made me bigger.” pic.twitter.com/GU6bOc6rcx
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 9, 2025
Aleksandre claimed that once fights were over, there was no rivalry between any of them. He asserted that rivalry outside the cage only made sense if there were any bad blood between the camps but as of right now, that was not the case.
That is certainly a mature way to look at things, especially in a post-Conor-Khabib world, where feuds are often taken to the extreme to try and sell tickets. But that doesn’t seem like Aleksandre. After answering the Volkanovski question, the debutant moved his attention to what the future holds.
Aleksandre understands the responsibility of being a Topuria
Aleksandre is ready to follow in the footsteps of his brother and carve out his own illustrious career in the UFC. He might only have a handful of fighters in his professional MMA career but tonight was a testament to just how good he is.
His manager Lukasz Orzel has even claimed that the bantamweight fighter would hold a UFC title faster than his brother. Ilia won it in 4, so Aleksandre has about 3 years to reach the top of the most stacked roster in the UFC. So, Orzel might have been a bit too enthusiastic.
However, Alaksandre himself isn’t thinking about it right away. Right now, it’s just about proving a point. The debutant addressed all the chatter about him jumping the queue of fighters with more experience than him and said,
“To me it’s not about the pressure because he is a world champion. I know that I made my UFC debut and jumped over most of the UFC fighters who maybe have 5 fights, 6 fights. It’s not because I want to. It’s because I understand the business to. It’s about the UFC. So I wasn’t feeling the pressure but I was feeling the responsibility.”
“Let’s use this chance to show the world who I am.”‘
Aleksandre Topuria makes a statement in his @UFC debut and picks up his first win inside the Octagon against Colby Thicknesse at #UFC312
Prelim Results ➡️ https://t.co/5ztZJOtD1C
— UFC News (@UFCNews) February 9, 2025
Aleksandre then turned his attention to his opponent for the night and stated that Colby Thicknesse also deserved a UFC contract based on his performance. This level of respect and sportsmanship further solidifies him as a fighter who not only wants to succeed but also uplifts those around him.
As he continues to develop his own legacy, it will be interesting to see how far his journey takes him in the UFC.
