On the verge of global stardom following his first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 last Saturday, Ilia Topuria accomplished a lot more in his vacant title bout at 155 pounds than becoming the first unbeaten two-division champion in promotional history.

Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) claimed the lightweight title by knocking out Charles Oliveira (35-11 MMA, 23-11 UFC) in Saturday's main event at T-Mobile Arena. In his past three fights, Topuria has knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira.

However, Ilia Topuria could call it a day in a couple of years, according to the recently retired former UFC flyweight champion. Demetrious Johnson dominated the lower weight classes for years before calling it quits in September 2024. The 38-year-old flyweight GOAT believes Topuria will follow him out of the sport in the not-too-distant future.

Former MMA champion, UFC fighter and Olympic wrestler Ben Askren has received a double lung transplant during a weekslong hospital stay for severe pneumonia, according to his wife, Amy.

Former UFC fighter Ben Askren has received a "double lung transplant" after being hospitalised with "severe pneumonia". Askren, 40, retired from MMA in 2019 after a short stint in the UFC. Earlier this month,