Losing to a champion doesn’t always mean the end of your career trajectory. Sometimes it’s just a speed bump on the road to continued success. The best fighters in the world can bounce back from devastating defeats and prove they still belong at the elite level. What separates truly great champions from good ones often shows up in the quality of opposition they face. And two-division champion Ilia Topuria has been absolutely destroying everyone the UFC puts in front of him.
The Georgian-Spanish fighter held the featherweight title and now the lightweight title. Here’s where things get fascinating. All three of Ilia Topuria’s most recent opponents won their very next fights after losing to him. That’s a remarkable pattern that doesn’t happen by accident, and it tells fans something important about the level of competition Topuria has been facing.
Let’s break down what happened with each of these fighters after Topuria knocked them out. Charles Oliveira took the worst knockout loss of his entire career when Topuria starched him at UFC 317. Many people wondered if the Brazilian legend’s chin was finally cracked for good. Just 15 weeks later, Oliveira stepped back into the octagon at UFC Rio and looked phenomenal. He became the first person ever to finish Mateusz Gamrot inside the distance, locking up a nasty rear-naked choke in the second round. That’s not the performance of a washed-up fighter. That’s a world-class grappler proving he’s still dangerous.
Max Holloway faced Topuria at UFC 308 and got knocked out in devastating fashion. The BMF champion lost his shot at the featherweight title but didn’t let the defeat define him. He bounced back at UFC 318 in July 2025, successfully defending his BMF belt against Dustin Poirier in what was their third meeting. Holloway showed the heart and skill that made him one of the division’s all-time greats.
Then there’s Alexander Volkanovski (27-4), who lost his featherweight title to Topuria and immediately faced questions about whether his reign was over. Volkanovski answered those doubts at UFC 314 by defeating Diego Lopes via decision in April 2025. He proved that even at 37, he’s still a top contender.
This remarkable bounce-back rate tells fans two critical things. First, Topuria isn’t beating up weakened or washed fighters on their way out. He’s defeating legitimate elite competition at their near-peak performance levels. Second, the fact that all three opponents immediately won their next fights demonstrates the incredible depth of talent in these two divisions. When fighters lose to Topuria and then beat other top contenders, it validates just how good the champion really is!
(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)
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