Ilia Topuria’s career earnings show swift pay jump as UFC star discusses retirement

The Spanish-Georgian is awaiting a lightweight bout after vacating the featherweight title recently

In a new podcast appearance, Ilia Topuria has discussed his career UFC earnings and revealed when he plans to retire from mixed martial arts – as he seeks big fights and major paydays before hanging up his gloves.

The unbeaten Topuria, 28, claimed the UFC featherweight title in February 2024, knocking out long-reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski to do so. Then, in October, he knocked out former champion Max Holloway to retain the belt.

The Spanish-Georgian then vacated the title this February, amid a planned move to lightweight, where he hopes to challenge for a second UFC belt.

And on the PBD Podcast on Friday (11 April), host Patrick Bet-David talked listeners through Topuria’s career UFC earnings, as “El Matador” (or “La Leyenda” as he now wishes to be known) weighed in on the matter.

“One of your first fights, you made $38,500 – 10 October 2020. Then you made $50k, then $75k, then $90k,” said businessman Bet-David, referring to Topuria’s first four UFC bouts: a decision win over Youssef Zalal, and knockouts of Damon Jackson, Ryan Hall and Jai Herbert.

“Then you made $154k with Bryce Mitchell, one of your good friends,” Bet-David joked, “and then you made $200k with Josh Emmett.” Topuria submitted Mitchell in late 2022 and outpointed Emmett in 2023.

“Then you made $532k [...] with Volk, then you made $2.44m with Holloway. So, roughly your career earnings are $3.5m.

“This is a very good trajectory. If this is a stock, there are some real good things around the corner for you, fight-wise.”

“It’s not only fight-wise, it’s also business-wise,” Topuria countered. “That’s why I try to develop all the time my skills, because at some point I’m gonna retire, and I’m gonna make a living from something else.”

Ilia Topuria parading his UFC title at Real Madrid’s stadium in 2024 (Getty Images)

It is unclear how much money Topuria has made outside the cage, though he is believed to have several business partnerships on the go, including with Spanish football giants Real Madrid.

When asked when he plans to retire, the 28-year-old said he will fight “until I [no longer] enjoy it to be honest”.

Topuria has said the UFC promised him a title fight at lightweight in his next contest, though it is unclear whether he will challenge incumbent champion Islam Makhachev; the Russian could face another contender first, with Topuria fighting the winner.

After the Spanish-Georgian relinquished the featherweight title in February, it was announced that Volkanovski would face Diego Lopes for the vacant gold. That fight headlines UFC 314 in Miami on Saturday (12 April).