“El Matador was cooler” – Ilia Topuria’s cocky new nickname faces mixed reactions from UFC fans

Knockout artist 'El Matador' Ilia Topuria unveils new nickname before his return to 155 pounds in all new attire.

“El Matador was cooler” – Ilia Topuria’s cocky new nickname faces mixed reactions from UFC fans

Former UFC champ Ilia Topuria reveals 'legendary' nickname before lightweight return (Source: IMAGO/X)

Former UFC 145-pound champ Ilia Topuria thinks he has done all he can in the division. Though he did not clear it out by any means, he defeated the biggest of names: Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. With the fact that he could knock out such gritty names, ‘El Matador’ has had immense and unprecedented stardom. But now, it’s time to cue in a new nickname.

‘El Matador’ has been a household name in the Spanish-Georgian scene. His UFC 308 PPV headliner spot vs. Holloway also let it stew on the ‘El Matador’ name. The Hawaiian chose to tout that he was the bull this Matador wouldn’t be able to halt. The lead-up made many think Holloway’s pace would be a problem for him at 145 lbs. Now, Ilia Topuria is settling on a new nickname:

‘El Matador’ is something that has accompanied me throughout my entire sporting career, throughout my entire trajectory, and it’s something that’s led me to the new nickname, …It’s always what I say: You need to believe. You need to see to believe. I believe it first, and then I see it. So the nickname that will accompany me in my next fights is going to be ‘La Leyenda.’

Ilia Topuria told to Mundo Deportivo
YouTube video

“La Leyenda” translates to ‘Legend.’ It’s banking on the fact that Topuria touts legendary runs of knocking out impossible opponents and ultimately does it. He did the same thing against Volk; Topuria also became the first fighter to destroy Holloway’s iron chin.

Resumes and title campaigns don’t get as bloated at the Club Climent fighter. He’s only the second fighter from the UFC/MMA side of things (albeit UFC CEO) to have made the Forbes España’s ’30 Under 30′ list.

With back-to-back knockouts of 145 greats, he received Fighter of the Year honors in multiple outlets. He did the honorary Real Madrid vs. Sevilla game celeb kickoff. Topuria met the president and received Spanish citizenship after his title win. Legend does as legend has it, and fans have showered many responses to the new moniker.

Fight fans react to Ilia Topuria’s new nickname

Topuria would have vacated his 145-pound top spot at the first bell of the UFC 314 PPV main event, April 12 from Kaseya Center in Miami. His new name also plays on the fact that a reborn Topuria might douse impossible challenges against top names at lightweight. Topuria has shot for an immediate title shot at 155 pounds. However, Islam Makhachev‘s team felt he needed to go through a few names first.

El Matador no more. Fans react to Ilia Topuria switching nickname
El Matador no more. Fans react to Ilia Topuria switching nickname (Source: X)

Ilia Topuria is already dumbing down the threat of the longtime reigning 155-pound champ and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Club Climent manager Lukasz Orzel said Topuria was already a better fighter than Makhachev; a legend in his own right. To their point, the Dagestani took a while to acclimate to the Aussie legend at UFC 284, but Topuria shut him down at first go.

His side has also been teasing Ilia Topuria’s untested grapples, making any PPV title fight other than against Makhachev feel like a missed opportunity. “La Leyenda” has already put the cogs into work. Now, here is what fans think of the UFC databases needing to switch to a new athlete handle.

Most fan responses have urged that he needed to keep backing up his banter if he’s called ‘Legend.’ Representing the consensus take, a prime reaction (@AjDuxche) wrote, “El matador was cooler.” Some also played into the fact that veteran 155-pounder Dustin Poirier has said his last fight should be against a ‘legend’. All in all, it’s a mixed bag of reactions.

Related: Ilia Topuria gym: Know about millionaire UFC 308 star’s high-tech gym