UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria took the sport by storm in 2024 by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to win the title before defending it against Max Holloway.

These two victories over two of the top three featherweights of all time have catapulted Ilia Topuria into the fighter of the year conversations - and the upper echelons of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings, and deservedly so, says Sports News Blitz’s Niall Togher.