Latest news with #INSTGRAM
The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Meet Ilia Topuria, the son of refugees and high school dropout set to replace Conor McGregor as the face of the UFC
THE Ultimate Fighting Championship is potentially just days away from having a new poster boy. And it's somewhat fitting that the potential coronation of mixed martial arts' premier promotion's new king will take place nearly four years to the day that Conor McGregor - the face of the sport for several years - had what looked to be his final outing. Advertisement 9 Ilia Topuria is on the cusp of making UFC history Credit: AP 9 The Georgian-born Spaniard will look to claim the vacant UFC lightweight title Credit: GETTY 9 Standing between Topuria and yet more history is former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira Credit: GETTY 9 Topuria and his family come from incredibly humble beginnings Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA Many have long thought the heir apparent to McGregor's throne was 'Suga' Sean O'Malley, although back-to-back championship defeats to Merab Dvalishvili have seen the former bantamweight king's sweetness fade. The man poised to succeed 'The Notorious' is a Georgian-born Spaniard who made a statement on the prelims of what with increasing certainty looks to be the last McGregor card in UFC history. The man in question is former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who will bid to further write his name into the history books early on Sunday morning in the Las Vegas . Undefeated Topuria will do battle with fellow fan favourite and former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev left aside. Advertisement READ MORE ON TOPURIA Becoming the TENTH two-weight champion in UFC history in the fashion he claimed and defended the featherweight title will catapult Topuria into a new stratosphere, one he always believed he'd reach. Topuria, 28, was born in 1997 in Halle, Germany , where his parents were granted refuge during the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia in the '90s. It was in Germany that Topuria would discover the sport of Greco-Roman wrestling , which he practised along with his younger brother, Aleksandre. The Topuria family would eventually return to Georgia , where the brothers would continue their education in Greco-Roman wrestling, in 2003. Advertisement Most read in MMA JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 9 Ilia Topuria and his siblings are the sons of refugees who fled the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia in the '90s Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA 9 Topuria and his younger brother, Aleksandre, dropped out of school in their mid-teens to pursue MMA Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA 9 Topuria tore through the regional and European scene before being signed by the UFC Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA Advertisement 9 He rewarded his dad's trust in him by winning UFC gold in February 2024 Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA Eager to provide a better life for their children, Topuria's parents, Zaza and Inga, moved the family to Alicante, Spain , in 2012. Not long after their arrival, Topuria's mother spotted a man sporting cauliflower ears and asked him if he knew where her sons could continue their training. Watch jacked Ilia Topuria complete epic UFC 317 body transformation after ditching crash diet to lose over 40lbs That chance encounter paved the way for Topuria to start his mixed martial arts journey under the tutelage of the Climent brothers, Agustin and Jorge. Advertisement The Topuria brothers' passion for MMA was so fervent that they both asked their dad if they could DROP OUT of school to pursue their dreams of fighting in the UFC. In 2022, Ilia said of his early teenage years in Spain: 'Yes [it was hard to communicate], but I left school when I was like 15 years old. 'When I was 15 years old, I went with my brother to talk with my father to tell him, 'Hey, dad. ''We don't want to go to school any more, but we really want to train. Advertisement 'And we're going to the gym all day, every day, and we're going to train.' 'Because my dream was to fight in the UFC. And he told me, 'If you're really going to train all the time like you tell me, then you have my approval. 'That's one of the reasons why I made my debut so young in the UFC, because it's very tough to get into the UFC from Spain. 'Because I wasn't living in the United States and I wasn't born here, because it's easier.' Advertisement I left school when I was like 15 years old." Ilia Topuria Three years after beginning his training with the Climent brothers, Topuria made his professional debut at the tender age of 18. He'd rip through the competition on the regional and European circuits with eight straight finishes, seven of which came via submission. The UFC came calling in October 2022 and Topuria hasn't looked back since, stopping all comers bar Youssef Zalal and Josh Emmett - both of whom were battered from pillar to post - on his way to claiming and defending the featherweight crown. His coronation as featherweight king came last February with a sensational second-round knockout of fan favourite Alexander Volkanovski. Advertisement And his final outing in the division last October saw him achieve the previously unthinkable and knock out iron-chinned former featherweight champion Max Holloway. Topuria's exploits - in particular his championship victories - have seen him become a superstar in Georgia, Spain and the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. He has a whopping 7.7million Instagram followers, has been recognised by boyhood footie team Real Madrid - who presented him in front of a capacity crowd at the Bernabeu after his KO of Volk - and is pals with Los Blancos legends Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos. His global following will explode and the celebs in his orbit will only become bigger, even though he doesn't crave the limelight, should he become a two-weight champion in a similar fashion to his featherweight coronation. Advertisement The title of 'biggest star in the UFC' is right there for the taking for Topuria. All that remains now is for him to make it his own in devastating fashion. 9 Ilia Topuria is already a superstar in Spain and can become a global name with a win over Charles Oliveira Credit: GETTY
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Meet Ilia Topuria, the son of refugees and high school dropout set to replace Conor McGregor as the face of the UFC
TOP OF THE WORLD Meet Ilia Topuria, the son of refugees and high school dropout set to replace Conor McGregor as the face of the UFC Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Ultimate Fighting Championship is potentially just days away from having a new poster boy. And it's somewhat fitting that the potential coronation of mixed martial arts' premier promotion's new king will take place nearly four years to the day that Conor McGregor - the face of the sport for several years - had what looked to be his final outing. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Ilia Topuria is on the cusp of making UFC history Credit: AP 9 The Georgian-born Spaniard will look to claim the vacant UFC lightweight title Credit: GETTY 9 Standing between Topuria and yet more history is former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira Credit: GETTY 9 Topuria and his family come from incredibly humble beginnings Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA Many have long thought the heir apparent to McGregor's throne was 'Suga' Sean O'Malley, although back-to-back championship defeats to Merab Dvalishvili have seen the former bantamweight king's sweetness fade. The man poised to succeed 'The Notorious' is a Georgian-born Spaniard who made a statement on the prelims of what with increasing certainty looks to be the last McGregor card in UFC history. The man in question is former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who will bid to further write his name into the history books early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 317 in Las Vegas. Undefeated Topuria will do battle with fellow fan favourite and former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155lbs belt, which the dominant Islam Makhachev left aside. READ MORE ON TOPURIA UFC 317 Topuria vs Oliveira: Live stream, results, start time and TV channel Becoming the TENTH two-weight champion in UFC history in the fashion he claimed and defended the featherweight title will catapult Topuria into a new stratosphere, one he always believed he'd reach. Topuria, 28, was born in 1997 in Halle, Germany, where his parents were granted refuge during the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia in the '90s. It was in Germany that Topuria would discover the sport of Greco-Roman wrestling, which he practised along with his younger brother, Aleksandre. The Topuria family would eventually return to Georgia, where the brothers would continue their education in Greco-Roman wrestling, in 2003. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 9 Ilia Topuria and his siblings are the sons of refugees who fled the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia in the '90s Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA 9 Topuria and his younger brother, Aleksandre, dropped out of school in their mid-teens to pursue MMA Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA 9 Topuria tore through the regional and European scene before being signed by the UFC Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA 9 He rewarded his dad's trust in him by winning UFC gold in February 2024 Credit: INSTGRAM@ILIATOPURIA Eager to provide a better life for their children, Topuria's parents, Zaza and Inga, moved the family to Alicante, Spain, in 2012. Not long after their arrival, Topuria's mother spotted a man sporting cauliflower ears and asked him if he knew where her sons could continue their training. Watch jacked Ilia Topuria complete epic UFC 317 body transformation after ditching crash diet to lose over 40lbs That chance encounter paved the way for Topuria to start his mixed martial arts journey under the tutelage of the Climent brothers, Agustin and Jorge. The Topuria brothers' passion for MMA was so fervent that they both asked their dad if they could DROP OUT of school to pursue their dreams of fighting in the UFC. In 2022, Ilia said of his early teenage years in Spain: 'Yes [it was hard to communicate], but I left school when I was like 15 years old. 'When I was 15 years old, I went with my brother to talk with my father to tell him, 'Hey, dad. ''We don't want to go to school any more, but we really want to train. 'And we're going to the gym all day, every day, and we're going to train.' 'Because my dream was to fight in the UFC. And he told me, 'If you're really going to train all the time like you tell me, then you have my approval. 'That's one of the reasons why I made my debut so young in the UFC, because it's very tough to get into the UFC from Spain. 'Because I wasn't living in the United States and I wasn't born here, because it's easier.' I left school when I was like 15 years old." Ilia Topuria Three years after beginning his training with the Climent brothers, Topuria made his professional debut at the tender age of 18. He'd rip through the competition on the regional and European circuits with eight straight finishes, seven of which came via submission. The UFC came calling in October 2022 and Topuria hasn't looked back since, stopping all comers bar Youssef Zalal and Josh Emmett - both of whom were battered from pillar to post - on his way to claiming and defending the featherweight crown. His coronation as featherweight king came last February with a sensational second-round knockout of fan favourite Alexander Volkanovski. And his final outing in the division last October saw him achieve the previously unthinkable and knock out iron-chinned former featherweight champion Max Holloway. Topuria's exploits - in particular his championship victories - have seen him become a superstar in Georgia, Spain and the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. He has a whopping 7.7million Instagram followers, has been recognised by boyhood footie team Real Madrid - who presented him in front of a capacity crowd at the Bernabeu after his KO of Volk - and is pals with Los Blancos legends Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos. His global following will explode and the celebs in his orbit will only become bigger, even though he doesn't crave the limelight, should he become a two-weight champion in a similar fashion to his featherweight coronation. The title of 'biggest star in the UFC' is right there for the taking for Topuria. All that remains now is for him to make it his own in devastating fashion.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Data dump: Why Labubus, vampires and Lady Gaga are not signs of recession
Vampires are back. In Sinners, they're sexy and menacing. In Nosferatu, they're just a Gothic hot mess. The last time this happened was with Twilight, right in the middle of the 2008 financial crisis. And notably before that, the Dracula movie that came out in 1931, amid the Great Depression. It's not correlation. It's not causation. It's nothing. And yet, people are convinced that when the fangs come out, it's a recession omen. Our obsession with Labubu dolls might be the 2025 version of the Lipstick Index. (SHUTTERSTOCK) They're bringing out the psychobabble too. Vampires are a projection of our fears, apparently. And, vampires are basically Wall Street bros: They party all night, date much younger women, draining people's blood and capital. And they don't care about rising grocery costs; blood is free, right? It's a cute theory. There's a similar one for werewolves and zombies too. And the Monster Index is only one of the many half-serious recession indicators doing the rounds. Some swear that the return of skinny jeans marks a replay of the 2008 downturn. That Kim Kardashian wiggling back into latex is a financial death knell. Fashion is cyclical – these were bound to return, regardless of the economy. With Sinners, vampires are back. And people are convinced this is a recession omen. We're being told to fear Charli XCX and the return of indie sleaze (ripped tights and messy eyeliner were last spotted when the US housing bubble burst). Kesha, who famously brushed her teeth with a bottle of Jack, is back with a new album. So is Lady Gaga. It's not an omen. It's just coincidence. Besides, the data is inconsistent. Katy Perry was ruling the charts during the last recession, with I Kissed A Girl. She's back with new music too, but Woman's World has flopped miserably. We're in the midst of a Hair Recession (women are wearing messy buns, letting their roots show, and trying out low maintenance styles). We've lost the plot so spectacularly, that even Gwyneth Paltrow eating cheese feels like a sign that the end is nigh. Clearly, this is more of a coping mechanism than actual economics. We desperately seek patterns and signs because we feel so out of control at the moment. But nostalgia isn't a debt instrument. Gossip Girl and Suits reboots can't rescue the stock market. Charli XCX's indie sleaze look was last popular during the US housing bubble burst. (INSTGRAM/@CHARLI_XCX) Still, some theories feel a little more grounded. Shorter skirts have neatly coincided with spells of prosperity. There is, alarmingly, a Boxer Index, in which men tend to stop buying new undies during hard times, because they do not consider it a necessity (Ugh!). For a while, the Lipstick Index worked – we really did choose smaller luxuries during tough times, pushing up sales of designer lipsticks, instead of garments. Could the toy of the moment, the Labubu doll, be the lipstick equivalent? Or is it all just for a great headline – funny, clickable, algorithm-candy? Nobody will share a meme about the Yield Curve or the Leading Economic Index. The Federal Reserve isn't tracking Gaga's latest album or the Kardashians' new outfits. They're looking at bond yields, inflation rates and consumer sentiment surveys. They track GDP, retail revenue, business spending and unemployment rates. They're too busy to be offended by lipstick and boxers. Even then, economists often get it wrong. They admit that well-regarded tools, such as the Yield Curve, can stump them. But that doesn't mean the pop-culture crystal ball is any better. So, take off the tinfoil hat, keep the skinny jeans on (they do make your bum look good!); for heaven's sake, refresh your underwear when you need to. And maybe let real experts handle the forecasting? From HT Brunch, June 28, 2025 Follow us on
