Ilia Topuria shows off insane body transformation after making shock career decision ahead of UFC 317 fight vs Oliveira
The Georgian-born Spaniard had to cut over a STONE to make featherweight
TOP GUN Ilia Topuria shows off insane body transformation after making shock career decision ahead of UFC 317 fight vs Oliveira
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ILIA TOPURIA has undergone a dramatic body transformation ahead of his octagon return.
The Georgian-born Spaniard is just over two weeks away from challenging for the lightweight title in the main event of UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
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Ilia Topuria returns to the octagon later this month
Credit: GETTY
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The former featherweight king will challenge Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title
Credit: UFC
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Topuria will no longer have to cut a STONE of weight to make 144lbs
Credit: GETTY
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The 28-year-old is looking incredibly muscular ahead of lightweight debut
Credit: INSTAGRAM
Topuria, 28, will challenge former titleholder Charles Oliveira for the belt recently vacated by pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev.
The fight will be Topuria's first since he announced his own vacation of the featherweight strap and a move up to 155lbs in February.
The slick striker has used the last few months to put on some considerable size and is now sporting a significantly more muscular frame.
Snaps of Topuria's bulkier physique sent MMA fans into meltdown, with one saying: "That smirk when you know you're about to go 17-0 and add another belt to the collection."
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Another said: "He will be a menace at 155."
And another said: "Ilia Topuria is looking jacked."
One remarked: "My boy looking thicc as f**k."
Another chimed in: "He's a real problem at 155. No one else has that KO power in that division except for Charles but it's not the same as Topuria's."
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Ilia Topuria brutally knocked out fan favourite Max Holloway in his last fight at featherweight
Credit: GETTY
Topuria's move up to lightweight came on the back of a devastating first and final defence of the 145lbs title against Max Holloway last October.
He moved up so he'd no longer have to lose over a STONE to make the featherweight limit.
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Topuria's clash with Oliveira will not only be his first at lightweight, it will also be his maiden fight since leaving his long-time trainers, the Climent Brothers.
'El Matador' recently left the Alicante-based Climent Club, which is run by brothers Jorge and Augustin, as he made Madrid his training base.
The split was an amicable one, with Jorge telling Submission Radio: "You feel, always, this is not good for the sentimental feeling, but this [is] life.
'We go with him on the journey and now he grow, and he wants to fly away, you know?
"We are very proud to [go as far as we did] with him.
'We are very proud for everything he [has done].
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Ilia Topuria's clash with Charles Oliveira will be his first since splitting from his long-time coaches
Credit: GETTY
"Of course, we are a little sad, but I want everything in his life [to] continue going well.
"I want all good for him and his brother, and I think that they do the same for us.
'I don't know what can be in the future.
"We have our own [direction right now] We love him. We love his brother.
"We know he's going to [beat] everybody that [he fights] because he's the best.
'Always, he's going to be like our son."
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