Does Ilia Topuria have a gunshot wound over left knee? 'El Matador' clears the air on insane Reddit conspiracy theory

Ilia Topuria has addressed the much-discussed Reddit conspiracy theory of a supposed gunshot wound over his left knee. The Georgian-Spaniard explained what exactly caused it, shooting down the rumors that it was induced by a bullet.

Topuria is the reigning UFC featherweight champion. He captured the title in his most recent fight by dethroning Australian MMA great Alexander Volkanovski via second-round KO in Feb. 2024.

Presently, Topuria is scheduled to fight former UFC featherweight champion and current BMF champion Max Holloway. Their highly-anticipated showdown will have 'El Matador's' UFC featherweight championship on the line. Their clash is booked to headline the UFC 308 event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., on Oct. 26, 2024.

With Ilia Topuria rising to prominence in the MMA realm, a notable fan discussion regarding him on Reddit drew attention to what appeared to be a hole over his left knee. Some fans speculated about whether it was possibly an old gunshot wound that had healed but left a scar.

Shak MMA's Shakiel Mahjouri recently asked Ilia Topuria about the hole over his knee that some people believe resulted from a gunshot wound, a medical procedure, or something else. Topuria responded by clarifying that the scar was a result of a childhood injury caused by a crystal. The 27-year-old stated:

"I got a cut when I was a child with a ... with a crystal. When I was a child, I was playing with my friends, and yeah, I just get a cut with a crystal."

Mahjouri chimed in by lightheartedly indicating that it wasn't as exciting as the bullet-wound story. Topuria smilingly responded, saying:

"No. It's not a bullet."

Check out Topuria's comments below (6:53):

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UFC champion Ilia Topuria's oft-discussed scar

Back in July 2022, Ilia Topuria put forth an Instagram post of himself entering the octagon. The wound-induced scar was clearly visible in the image, leading some to eventually ponder whether it was the aftermath of a staph infection or other such affliction that commonly occurs in full-contact sports competitions and training.

Check out the image below:

Furthermore, in June 2024, Ilia Topuria unraveled some footage from his trip to Ibiza, Spain, to his Instagram page. The scar, which has been the subject of extensive debate and discussion among fight fans, stood out during an apparent wakeboarding sequence in the video.

Watch the video below:

Speaking of Ilia Topuria's scar, several other conspiracy theories circulated on Reddit and other platforms. One fan theorized that perhaps the mark was a result of 'amniocentesis.' It's a prenatal medical test, wherein a doctor extracts amniotic fluid/cells from around a yet-to-be-born child in the womb to assess the child's health.

Alternatively, another theory was that 'El Matador' had probably undergone a liposuction procedure that caused an injury.