Ilia Topuria2023 Metal Universe Champions checklist
Metal Universe revives SkyBox's metallic nineties finish, now under Upper Deck. The 2023 edition puts Ilia Topuria on a design with a cult following among fans of the format, with the odd autograph.
The collection was released on 24 April 2024.
What it is made of
12 base · 20 inserts · 4 autographs · 0 relics · 25 numbered · 11 unnumbered · 32 with photo
Cards · 36
- Base (Multi-Color) #14
- Aqua #14
- Spectrum #14
- Gold Spectrum #14
- Autograph Silver #14
- Silver Dots #14 /299
- Red Precious Metal Gems #14 /100
- Pink FX #14 /75
- Blue Precious Metal Gems #14 /50
- Orange FX #14 /25
- Autograph Gold #14 /25
- Green Precious Metal Gems #14 /10
- Gold Precious Metal Gems #14 /1
- Printing Plate Booklet #14 /1
- Refractor #EX-10
- Essential Credentials Now #EX-10 /41
- Essential Credentials Then #EX-10 /10
- Base (Purple/Silver) #FF7
- Aqua #FF7
- Spectrum #FF7
- Gold Spectrum #FF7
- Silver Dots #FF7 /299
- Red Precious Metal Gems #FF7 /100
- Autoghraph #FF7 /99
- Pink FX #FF7 /75
- Blue Precious Metal Gems #FF7 /50
- Orange FX #FF7 /25
- Gold Autoghraph #FF7 /10
- Green Precious Metal Gems #FF7 /10
- Gold Precious Metal Gems #FF7 /1
- Printing Plate Booklet #FF7 /1
- Base #Z-31
- Rave #Z-31 /150
- Super Rave #Z-31 /50
- Galaxy Rave #Z-31 /25
- Universe Rave #Z-31 /1
Top sales
the highest confirmed sales · nominal amount
- 1st 2023 Metal Universe Champions Autograph Gold Ilia Topuria #14 /25 — $995 · 2025-09-28
- 2nd 2023 Metal Universe Champions Autograph Silver Ilia Topuria #14 — $340 · 2025-07-13
- 3rd 2023 Metal Universe Champions Green Precious Metal Gems Ilia Topuria #FF7 /10 — $280 · PSA 8 · 2025-06-28
Market pulse
623 confirmed sales · 31 cards with at least one sale · 19 active listings seen
Most traded
- 2023 Metal Universe Champions Autograph Silver Ilia Topuria #14 · 103 confirmed sales
- 2023 Metal Universe Champions Base (Multi-Color) Ilia Topuria #14 · 94 confirmed sales
- 2023 Metal Universe Champions Base (Purple/Silver) Ilia Topuria #FF7 · 74 confirmed sales
Print-run ladder
/1 ×5 · /10 ×4 · /25 ×4 · /41 ×1 · /50 ×3 · /75 ×2 · /99 ×1 · /100 ×2 · /150 ×1 · /299 ×2
Where his career stood
When this collection came out, on 24 April 2024, Ilia Topuria's record was 15-0, 7-0 in the UFC, and he was the featherweight champion. He was coming off a win over Alexander Volkanovski by KO at UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria, 67 days earlier, with the title on the line. His next fight was UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway, against Max Holloway, 185 days later: he won by KO.
What 2023 SkyBox Metal Universe Champions is
The multi-sport revival of Metal Universe, the brand of the Precious Metal Gems, now by Upper Deck: hobby of 15 packs of 7 cards, blaster and e-Pack, on sale 24 April 2024. Ilia Topuria enters as the brand's rookie #14 and it is the product of his first certified autograph.
- Base #14: Aqua and Silver Dots /299 blaster only, Pink FX /75 and Orange FX /25, and the four PMGs, Red /100, Blue /50, Green /10 and Gold 1/1, in hobby and e-Pack, per Upper Deck's official checklist.
- Autographs #14: Silver Auto at 1:60 and Gold Auto /25, the first autograph of his card career.
- Fresh Foundation #FF7, the newcomers insert with its own PMG ladder and its /99 and Gold /10 signatures; E-X #EX-10 with Essential Credentials Now /41 and Then /10; Z-Force #Z-31 from Rave /150 to Universe Rave 1/1.
- e-Pack achievements: Spectrum, Gold Spectrum and the Printing Plate Booklets, which never come from a physical pack. They are on Ilia Topuria printing plates.
What gets confused
- PMG and FX are two technologies, not one ladder: Pink and Orange are FX, not PMG. Ilia Topuria Precious Metal Gems explains it.
- The Silver Auto is unnumbered; only the Gold runs /25.
- Aqua and Silver Dots are blaster, even if some checklists mix them.
How to read this page
- 36 versions, 25 numbered and 4 signed; 623 confirmed sales and 19 active listings seen today.
Sources
The story of its inserts
- E-X is an insert of 50 cards. It debuted in this set and returned in 2024 and 2026. It comes from basketball: it first appeared in 1996-97 SkyBox E-X2000 Basketball. It is considered a classic, according to Cardboard Connection.
- Fresh Foundation is an insert of 50 cards. This is its 3rd appearance in MMA cards: the first was 2021 SkyBox Metal Universe Champions. It comes from baseball: it first appeared in 1996 Fleer Ultra, and today's version is the one revived in 2021 SkyBox Metal Universe Champions.
- Z-Force is an insert of 50 cards. This is its 2nd appearance in MMA cards: the first was 2022 SkyBox Metal Universe Champions. It comes from basketball: it first appeared in 1996-97 SkyBox Z-Force Basketball, and today's version is the one revived in 2022 SkyBox Metal Universe Champions.
How it was sold
The sealed formats it came in, and what each one holds.
Hobby box
15 packs × 7 cards · 105 cards per box
Blaster box
5 packs × 7 cards · 35 cards per box- e-Pack (digital)
Upper Deck's digital channel: no physical box.
Other collections from 2023: Goodwin Champions · Panini Chronicles UFC · Panini Donruss UFC · Panini Immaculate UFC · Panini Prizm UFC · Panini Select UFC
Other years of Metal Universe Champions: 2024 Metal Universe Champions