Ilia Topuria | Ep. 147

Summary

Full Send Podcast Episode 147 Summary: Ilia Topuria

Released on February 13, 2025, the Full Send Podcast hosted by Shots Podcast Network, sponsored by Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, features an in-depth conversation with UFC's rising star, Ilia Topuria. This episode delves into Ilia's personal journey, fighting mentality, aspirations within the UFC, and his perspectives on legacy and personal life.

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1. Post-Fight Celebrations and Personal Preferences

Celebrating Victories: Ilia Topuria shares insights into how Camp Topuria celebrates significant victories, such as his knockout win over Max Holloway.

• Ilia Topuria (00:25): "We had a space with all our close friends with partners. So we celebrate with music. We bring a DJ from Spain. ... just enjoying with the family."

Personal Enjoyments: He discusses his preference for enjoying life beyond athletics, mentioning his favorite drinks during celebrations.

• Ilia Topuria (00:45): "I love to drink wine. And in special moments like that, maybe I can drink some tequilas or beer."

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2. The Power of Faith and Mentality

Source of Strength: Ilia attributes his fighting power and mentality to his faith in God, emphasizing the combination of hard work and divine support.

• Ilia Topuria (01:46): "From God. He gives me that power because of course I work hard. ... So the conclusion is that the power comes from God."

Mental Framework: He elaborates on his values, grounded in biblical teachings, and the importance of believing in oneself to overcome fear and have faith in the unseen.

• Ilia Topuria (02:14): "I base my values on what God is teaching us in the Bible. ... I always choose to believe in things that make me feel happy."

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3. Early Life and Introduction to MMA

Childhood Challenges: Born in Germany, Ilia recounts his family's move back to Georgia and the subsequent hardships during the 2008 war, which profoundly shaped his resilience.

• Ilia Topuria (03:21): "So I was born in Germany. ... It creates the man I am today."

Transition to Spain and MMA: At 15, Ilia and his brother moved to Spain, where their mother played a pivotal role in introducing them to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, leading to their enduring commitment to MMA.

• Ilia Topuria (06:35): "My mom saw a man with a cauliflower ear and connected us to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. ... Since the day we stepped in, we didn't come out until now."

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4. Building the Camp Topuria Legacy

Inspiring the Spanish Community: Ilia expresses his desire to cultivate a strong MMA culture in Spain, leveraging the country's inherent fiery spirit to develop future talents.

• Ilia Topuria (08:41): "I want them to be more familiar with the sport because we have great talents also there. ... I want to be a great example for that."

Collaboration with Real Madrid: He highlights the significant support from Real Madrid, envisioning historic fights at the Bernabeu Stadium that would cement his legacy.

• Ilia Topuria (09:40): "It's something amazing to get that kind of support from a team like Real Madrid. ... It feels amazing."

• Ilia Topuria (10:12): "It will be something that it's going to stay in my memories for life."

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5. Relationships with Fellow Athletes

Friendship with Sergio Ramos: Ilia talks about his friendship with soccer legend Sergio Ramos, admiring Ramos's fighting spirit and the motivation derived from their interactions.

• Ilia Topuria (10:45): "He was my idol since I was a kid. ... Spending time with him gives you a lot of motivation."

Impact of Role Models: He reflects on how mentors like Ramos validate his path in the UFC, reinforcing his dedication and growth.

• Ilia Topuria (11:25): "Whatever he does, even if you do the same things, you can verify that you are doing the same thing as someone who is so big."

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6. UFC Aspirations and Career Goals

Staying Undefeated: Ilia outlines his primary objective in the UFC: maintaining an undefeated record while entertaining fans with his knockout power.

• Ilia Topuria (13:35): "My goals in the UFC is to stay undefeated, to keep knocking people out. ... I want to go to the lightweight division."

Transition to Lightweight: He expresses ambition to move up to the lightweight division, aiming to become a two-division champion.

• Ilia Topuria (14:44): "Because I really believe that I can be the current champion."

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7. Views on UFC's Landscape and Fellow Fighters

Perspective on Conor McGregor: Ilia discusses McGregor's influence on MMA, acknowledging his contributions while criticizing his recent conduct.

• Ilia Topuria (19:39): "He did a lot for the sport, but at some point, he betrayed all the values ... he started to be disrespectful."

Desire for Respectful Rivalries: He contrasts his approach with fighters like McGregor, emphasizing respect and authenticity over hype-driven personas.

• Ilia Topuria (23:17): "Boom. Because we are on different levels, and everyone can see that."

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8. Legacy and Influence Outside the Cage

Inspiring Future Generations: Ilia aspires to be more than just a fighter, aiming to inspire people in various aspects of life and serve as a role model.

• Ilia Topuria (13:35): "I want to motivate and inspire people."

Business Ventures: While focusing primarily on his fighting career, Ilia hints at future business endeavors aimed at building an empire grounded in meaningful ventures rather than mere financial gain.

• Ilia Topuria (37:09): "I want to build an empire, you know, I want to build a monster."

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9. Personal Life and Family Values

Importance of Family: Family remains a cornerstone for Ilia, valuing the support and relationships that sustain him both personally and professionally.

• Ilia Topuria (33:28): "So my family means everything to me."

Training His Son: He shares touching moments of training with his young son, fostering a love for martial arts from an early age.

• Ilia Topuria (34:03): "He was always asking me, dad, please train me, dad, please."

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10. Future Fights and UFC Dynamics

Potential Fights: Ilia discusses anticipated matchups, including rematches with Islam Makhachev and the possibility of facing Jon Jones, showcasing his strategic thinking and respect for top-tier opponents.

• Ilia Topuria (27:01): "I like Aspinall also. He's a great fighter, and he represents also a new generation."

UFC Relationships: As his star rises, Ilia describes a more collaborative relationship with the UFC leadership, highlighting mutual respect and understanding of the business.

• Ilia Topuria (22:23): "I have a different relationship now. ... Dana and Hunter understand about the business."

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Notable Quotes

• Ilia Topuria (01:22): "I wasn't surprised, to be honest, because I always knew my time would come."

• Ilia Topuria (22:10): "God, times are the perfect times."

• Ilia Topuria (21:32): "I want to be more than Conor McGregor."

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Conclusion

Ilia Topuria emerges in this episode as not only a formidable fighter in the UFC but also a deeply principled individual driven by faith, family, and a desire to inspire. His strategic vision for his career, commitment to personal growth, and respect for fellow athletes position him as a promising superstar poised to leave a lasting legacy both inside and outside the octagon.

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This summary captures the essence of Ilia Topuria's conversation on the Full Send Podcast, highlighting his journey, values, and aspirations. For those unfamiliar with the episode, it offers a comprehensive overview of Ilia's mindset and future plans in the world of mixed martial arts.

Transcript

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[Interviewer]

How does Camp Toporia celebrate? Like when you knocked out Max Holloway? What's the post fight celebration?

[Ilia Topuria]

So we had a space with all our close friends with partners. So we celebrate with music. We bring a DJ from Spain. I don't know, just enjoying with the family.

[Interviewer]

Do you guys party a little bit. A little bit of wine or anything or no?

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, a little bit of everything. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What's your go to drink? Is it the wine?

[Ilia Topuria]

I love to drink wine. And in special moments like that, maybe I can drink some tequilas or beer. Not very often, but in that kind of situations I do it because sometimes you have to enjoy also the life, you know, it's not always to being in that way to on diet. I don't drink, I don't do this on that. You have to enjoy it.

[Interviewer]

You got to mix it up.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, of course.

[Interviewer]

How big was that knockout to you? Because I know, you know, Max Holloway was never knocked out. Everybody, all the fans think it was crazy. But what did it mean to you? Were you surprised?

[Ilia Topuria]

I wasn't surprised, to be honest, because I always knew it. I always knew it, that my time would come. But it's always very emotional when you are able to live that, that specific moments in your life. And especially when you fight a guy like Max. Oh, that never has been knocked out. But I knew it. I don't know. I don't know.

[Interviewer]

Where does that power come from?

[Ilia Topuria]

From God. He gives me that power because of course I work hard. I work very, very hard. And I feel that I don't only work the hard way, I work the smart way also. But I see also many, many guys working really hard, doing everything that they can, but they don't have this power. So the conclusion is that the power comes from God.

[Interviewer]

It's from God. Would you accredit your mentality to God too?

[Ilia Topuria]

Of course.

[Interviewer]

I know Carlos Alcaraz. He said he studies your press conferences when it comes to mentality, which is crazy. And he's a massive, massive superstar.

[Ilia Topuria]

Right? As you said, he's a massive superstar.

[Interviewer]

So where do you credit that, like your mentality and how important is your mentality when it comes to everything that you're doing?

[Ilia Topuria]

The only thing I do, I base my values on what God is teaching us in the Bible. Right. So I try to do all the things that he teach us. I just try to believe in myself because I always used to say this way that both fear and faith demand you to believe in something that you never saw. And you choose. And I always choose to believe in things that make me feel happy. Happy. And makes me feel and think that tomorrow is going to be even better than today. So this is the way I see life.

[Interviewer]

You have a very crazy, inspiring story. I didn't know about it. I've never heard you talk about it personally until you guys were telling me about it. But you were born in Germany and then you moved to Georgia.

[Ilia Topuria]

Georgia.

[Co-Host]

And.

[Interviewer]

And then to Spain.

[Ilia Topuria]

To Spain.

[Interviewer]

And could you tell us about that? Like, what was your childhood like growing up?

[Ilia Topuria]

So I was born in Germany. I have my brother and two sisters. So my parents decided to go back to Georgia because we originally from Georgia. So we lived there for seven years. But in the first three years, my parents again have to leave us in Georgia and go back to Europe because in that moment, we didn't have a great situation in Georgia.

[Interviewer]

Was there a war? Russia was.

[Ilia Topuria]

The war started once. My parents leave us year after or something like that in 2008. So when you are 8, 9 years old and you dealing with that kind of situation, you don't have your heroes with you, which are your parents. With that age, it's a little bit. Little bit difficult. But at this moment, I appreciate everything that I lived because it creates the man I am today. You know what I mean?

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

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[Interviewer]

So wait, what was that like then? Who were you living with at the time when you were eight?

[Ilia Topuria]

With my bride. With my sister. And my grandma was taking care of. Of us also. And. And close family members, but without the parents. It's not the same. You know what I mean? So we had difficult times, but today I appreciate everything that I lived because I wouldn't be here without that experience.

[Interviewer]

And then you made it to Spain when you were what, 15?

[Ilia Topuria]

When we turned. When I was 15 years old, finally me and my brother, we went with. With my parents to Spain. And since. Since that moment we meet the. The gym where we train until today and we meet the mixed martial arts.

[Interviewer]

I. I heard there's an interesting story with your mother. With that I heard were you guys on a bus and she saw someone with cauliflower ear. And then.

[Ilia Topuria]

Because at that, at that time in Spain, they didn't have the culture of mixed martial arts at all. No one knew anything about. About that.

[Interviewer]

You weren't even training at this point, at age 15.

[Ilia Topuria]

And we were doing the Greek Greco Roman wrestling and we wanted okay with that discipline in Spain also, but they don't. They don't have that sport also. So either. So my mom saw in the street a man with a cauliflower year. You know it. You can identify very, very fast a wrestler when you See that, you know.

[Interviewer]

Not to with that person.

[Ilia Topuria]

So my mom started to start to talk with that man and she, she told, she told him like I have two kids, they want to keep training, I don't know, maybe wrestling. And he said, I'm, I don't do wr wrestling, but I do Brazilian Jiu jitsu, so take your kids and I will show you the gym. So when my mom came to home, she started to talk us about, about the jiu jitsu, MMA and all that. And we didn't know anything at all. And I was like, I don't want to do anything with, with kimono because you know, in wrestling we don't, we don't use kimono. And my dad started to talk also with us and he was like, this is an amazing sport. You know, the graces look this video, this and that. And finally they convince, convince us to go to the gym. And since the day we, we step in, we, we didn't came out until now.

[Interviewer]

That's crazy. So do you give your mom a lot of credit?

[Ilia Topuria]

A lot of.

[Interviewer]

And who's this guy with cauliflower here? We gotta find him.

[Ilia Topuria]

And maybe, of course he's a very good buy him a very close friend of mine now still, of course he's a great person. How can I forget him?

[Interviewer]

That's crazy.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, he was a man sended by God.

[Interviewer]

Where do you want to take MMA when it comes to Spain and even with your brother in Georgia, Namarab, where do you see like the Camp Toporia legacy?

[Ilia Topuria]

If you know the Spanish people, they really have that fire spirit inside them. But, but at the same time they didn't have this, the culture of the sport. So I want them to be more familiar with the sport because we have great talents also there. So at the same time, I don't know, my goal is not only inspire people in the sport, I want to inspire them in life and be a motivation, a role model for them. You know, some of them choose the way the path on doing their things in the sport. Some of them wants to start with some business, some of them wants to be a doctor in the future. I don't know, I just want to be a great example for that.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, you're inspiring a lot of people in Spain. I mean, the whole real Madrid thing and the fight that might happen at the Bernabeu one day we could talk about that. But how cool is that even to just work with like Real Madrid and have them support you?

[Ilia Topuria]

Wow.

[Interviewer]

They've never done anything like that, right?

[Ilia Topuria]

That's huge. It's something amazing, you know, to. To get that kind of support from a team like Real Madrid. It's something that motivates me and gives a recognition to everything I'm doing. So it feels amazing.

[Interviewer]

When does that fight happen at the Bernabeu?

[Ilia Topuria]

Hopefully, I don't know, in 2025, by the end of the year or maybe next year. I hope so.

[Interviewer]

How does that make you feel when you just think about the possibility of that happening? Because that'd be like history.

[Ilia Topuria]

It makes me feel.

[Interviewer]

Does it give you chills or.

[Ilia Topuria]

No, it makes me feel happy. At the same time, I didn't fought in sp Spain, I don't know, since so many years ago, the last time I fought in Spain. So it will be something amazing going out there in front of all my people, I don't know, 80,000 people in San Diego with the mariachi song. It's going to be something that it's going to stay in my. My memories for life. And at the end of the day, what's life? It's about the moments we are able to create and then remember them.

[Interviewer]

What's it like being friends with Sergio Ramos and what's one thing you've learned from him?

[Ilia Topuria]

What I have learned from. He was my idol since I was a kid. The way he was like the character he has in the sport, always fighting till the last second of the match. That inspired me a lot. So I was following his entire career and the day when I met him, it was like something very cool, you know, that you. You're watching someone, would you like him and at some point he comes to support you? I don't know. Crazy things.

[Interviewer]

Has he ever given you like any advice or anything like that?

[Ilia Topuria]

Many of them. To be honest, I. I can't tell you anything specific that he told me, but only spending time with him, it's nice, you know, it, it's. It gives you a lot of motivation.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

Whatever he does, even if you do the same things, you are able to verify that you are doing the same thing as someone who is so big, you know, so you know that you are on the right path. It's. Yeah, it's crazy when learning.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, it's crazy when stars like that are kind of now, you know, almost looking up to you and stuff.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Is that weird at all or do you feel like you were just destined?

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[Ilia Topuria]

I participate in restaurants for a limited time.

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[Ilia Topuria]

At the same time, it's something that I appreciate, of course I do, but I always knew it. I don't know, I always believed that. But someday I would share the stages with them, I would share the conversations with them because I was doing everything that it was in my hands, you know, what I could do. So I always had that faith that those days would come in my life.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So since you've had that faith, what do you see your legacy and what are your goals in the UFC and then also outside the ufc?

[Ilia Topuria]

My goals in the UFC is to stay undefeated, to keep knocking people out. I don't go only and to just win. You know, I fight for the fans. I want to entertain people. I want them to enjoy. Like when I go somewhere, I want people to offer me a great show. That's why I put my money there. So I want to do the same thing to all the fans and be as big as I can. I want to go to the lightweight division. Now, if the UFC wants me to give me that opportunity, I will become a two way class award champion. And I want to keep doing things like, things like that and outside the cage. As I told you before, I want to motivate and inspire people.

[Interviewer]

How many years do you think you have left in the ufc?

[Ilia Topuria]

Till I enjoy.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Just to play it by ear.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, at this point, I enjoy it. I want, I want to, I want to doing. I want to keep doing it. And it's a difficult question to answer when I want to retire. I don't know.

[Interviewer]

There's no point in putting time on it right now.

[Ilia Topuria]

Exactly.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

Once I will stop enjoying it, I will retire.

[Interviewer]

So what makes you want to move up to 155 so bad?

[Ilia Topuria]

Because I really believe that I can be the current champion. Islam. I really think that he's a great champion. You can't be a world champion by chance. You have to do things great.

[Interviewer]

He's a beast.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, he's a beast. But I like the competition, and I don't like to be a bully and fight with people that I know 100% that I'm gonna walk his ass. You. I. I like to fight with people that the fans think that it's going to be very competitive. That kind of expectations I like to create. So with Islam, I'm going to have that doing again, the rematch with people that I really fought. I don't think that I'm going to have the same kind of. Of expectations, you know, for the fans.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So, yeah, I love. I love Volk, too. He's a great guy, too. But as a. As a fan, As a fan, that rematch doesn't excite me that much just because in the fashion that you want it. Right. But obviously he's a legend, and like you said, if anyone deserves a rematch, it's him. But just as a fan, it's kind.

[Ilia Topuria]

Of like I have to give him his credits also, because you never know what's going to happen in the rematch. I'm sure that I'm going to knock him out once again. If we fight again or I will submit him, I will do the same things, but at the same time, you can joke with that guy. He's a fucking legend.

[Co-Host]

Right?

[Ilia Topuria]

That's what I mean. The only thing he knows to do is fighting. So I can't underestimate him at all because he's a fucking beast. Like with Max Holloway, I just knock him out, but maybe we fight again and you never know what's going to happen.

[Interviewer]

Is there anyone else you'd want to fight at lightweight? I know you said you'd be willing to fight Oliveira.

[Ilia Topuria]

There are so many excited fights in the lightweight.

[Interviewer]

Even Armand now, I guess, kind of.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah. Armond needs to build himself a little bit more, you know, but at this point, just imagine a fight between me and. I love that dog. He's a fighter, you know what I mean? You know that he goes in and he fights till he's. He. He dies. You're gonna have that guy in front of you fighting and try to take your head off. That's a very exciting fight for me. And I think for the fans also, Islam is a great fight. Charles is a great fight. Justin Gage is a great fight. I can, like, mention you so many great fights that I could have in the lightweight division.

[Interviewer]

The Islam be a super fight. Like, as a fan, that if I saw that, if I, if they announced that I would, like, be, like, jumping.

[Ilia Topuria]

Up and down, that's a great fight. That's a great. That's why, that's why I want to do it.

[Interviewer]

Why do you think the UFC doesn't want to make it happen?

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't think that they don't want to make it happen.

[Interviewer]

It's in the works.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, it's. It's in the works. They, they are trying to figure out some things.

[Interviewer]

So how do you beat Islam? Is Georgian wrestling better than Dagestani wrestling?

[Ilia Topuria]

You can't, like, analyze the wrestling that way because you never know. You see a Russian guy wrestling with an American guy, and it can go either way. You know what I mean? But I have so many, so many things against Islam that he's gonna have some hard time with me. And something he knows and we all know, is that the only thing I need, it's one punch. And you know for sure that I'm gonna connect that one punch, because I don't, I don't throw my punches like a crazy, a crazy, you know, I, I, I. Yeah, I'm waiting for my moment. And I apply a lot of technique behind that, that punch. You know, I move my head and I know where, where to chew that punches. And we all know that at some point, I will connect that punch, and everything will depend on what God will decide, if he wants to go, if he wants to send Islam to sleep or not. Who knows that? I know that.

[Interviewer]

Didn't you say you want to submit him?

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, I can also submit him. To be honest, I always say that I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts and what that means. Before you were seeing a guy in mma, they were good in striking and maybe in wrestling, but the ground game wasn't that good. Or you see a guy who has a phenomenal ground game, he has a phenomenal striking, but his wrestling sucks. In my case, I'm good everywhere, so you can take me everywhere, and I'm going to feel comfortable. They used to say, like, I'm going to take you to the deep water. I was burned in the deep water. You know what I mean? Take me wherever you want to take me.

[Interviewer]

Another. I mean, I guess this one's not as possible, but what about an ever Possible fight with Conor McGregor. And do you think that. Does he ever fight again or.

[Ilia Topuria]

No, I don't know. That guy is so sick. He has some problems in his inside world, you know? And at the same time, when he was starting in the mixed martial art, he was an idol for all of us, you know, he was a great fighter representing good values.

[Interviewer]

He did a lot for the sport. At the end of the day, he.

[Ilia Topuria]

Did a lot for the sport, but at some point, he betrayed all the values that put him in that, that. That point, you know what I mean? So he get crazy. He. He started to be disrespectful with everyone around him, with all the people in the US with all the fighters, with everyone, you know, and at some point, you, You. You fall, you know, the people comes against you. They don't like that if they support you, you have to. You have to give them the same love back.

[Interviewer]

Where do you think his downfall was?

[Ilia Topuria]

Starting to. To party. Like, he's not. He. He wasn't a sportsman. He taking drugs, all that kind of shits, you know what I mean? Because we all know that you're always gonna have that kind of temptations, you know? But if you are really at champion, a fucking legend, you can against everything, you have to have that control about the things, not the things that have to have the control about you.

[Interviewer]

Do you want to not become the next Conor McGregor, but do you think that you'll be that next worldwide superstar? You almost already are for sure in the ufc. Because I. That's what I see in you. Like your. Your fights are fucking unreal. You finish fights, you have the sauce like you have. And then in the press conferences. I love watching your press conferences. Like, I'm always excited to watch them. So do you think, is that what you want to be that, like, worldwide Conor McGregor, next level MMA superstar?

[Ilia Topuria]

I want to be more than Conor McGregor. You know what I mean? The values he represents. It's not the same values I represent. So that's why I think I'm going to be even bigger than him. Actually. I'm bigger than him right now. At this point, I'm bigger than him. Maybe more people knows him, but the way they know him, I don't want anyone to know me that way.

[Co-Host]

Right.

[Ilia Topuria]

So maybe it takes me a little bit longer, but I want to do it from. From the good way, you know?

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

And I'm very patient. I know that there is no elevators in life, and slow is the fastest way to get where you want to be.

[Interviewer]

So you don't want to rush anything.

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't want to rush.

[Interviewer]

It never pays off in the end.

[Ilia Topuria]

God. Times are the perfect times.

[Interviewer]

How's your relationship with, like, the UFC business? Wise, evolved. Now that you've become more of a star, do you have, like, more say in your fights?

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Do you guys have more of a working relationship now?

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, I have a different relationship now. Of course, as a champion, you can do things a little bit different, but at the same time, the people that understand about the business are there. Hunter, they understand. Yeah. Dana and Hunter understand about the business. I can have many ideas, but they had how many champions they had before me, so they have so much experience that you can just go there and say, I want to do this. Coc you want it or not? You can do, like, you can do it that way because they know how to run the business. They know how to. How to build the stars.

[Interviewer]

It's crazy how far you come. I remember even, like, you were, like, beefing with, like, Patty the baddie. You guys used to have back beef, and now it's crazy. I'm not trying to shit on him, but it's crazy how much of a gap there is now between starting his.

[Ilia Topuria]

Hype was like Momentano in the moment. He has a lot of hype this and that, but the quality of the fighter he is, man, come on, please don't even compare me to that. Boom. Because we are on different levels, and everyone can see that, see it now that we are on different levels.

[Interviewer]

What do you think happened with him? Because he was kind of on, like, he was on trajectory as well.

[Ilia Topuria]

Disrespectful to me, to my country, to all my people. And he just behaved like a idiot, you know, he started to talk about the war we had against Russia and that. He said something. Now I understand why the Russians put the bombs in Georgia. And many kids die in that war. Many people die in that war. You know, not a lot of good things happen in the war. So when you start to joke about that kind of things, just make sure that we don't find each other anywhere, because I'm going to take your fucking head off. You know what I mean? He wants to build his hype laughing on people, and that's not the way I'm looking to build the hype.

[Interviewer]

What's too far when it comes to press conferences and trash talk? Like, what's off limits in your opinion?

[Ilia Topuria]

In my case, it's real because I had press conference where I was respectful to my opponents because they were respectful to Me. But when they tried to go different way, bro, I'm never looking for a problem, but if the problem comes to me, I say no fucking problem.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I feel that.

[Ilia Topuria]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

Crazy story I heard, too. I think Joe Rogan, he canceled his Kamala Harris interview because of your fight.

[Ilia Topuria]

I just saw.

[Interviewer]

You saw that clip.

[Ilia Topuria]

It was so fun.

[Interviewer]

What do you make of that?

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't know. It was so fun that someone is not accepting Kamala Harris because he wants to watch my fight against Max Holloway. That's fun.

[Interviewer]

It's dope. How much of just a fan Joe Rogan is that? And he would say that.

[Ilia Topuria]

And he said that, you know, he didn't have to say that. He would, like, close his mouth and don't say anything. But I love Joe Rogan.

[Interviewer]

You should. You ever gonna go on Joe Rogan? I think you should go on.

[Ilia Topuria]

He invites me. Why not? I love. He's the best.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

You can't refuse that invitation.

[Interviewer]

Who's like, your top three fighters of all time?

[Ilia Topuria]

The first one has to be Jon Jones. You have to give the credit to that man, because to me, too fun. When I see people comparing him with the Dagestani guys, even with Khabib, with Islam, or that all the respect to all the champions. But, for example, Khabib, he has how many, 14, 15 fights in the UFC. Jon Jones have 15 title defenses.

[Interviewer]

Jon Jones has transcended eras in the UFC. He's been around since, like, Georges St. Pierre, like everyone else is retired.

[Ilia Topuria]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

He's still going.

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't know. For me, he's the number one. Number two. Number two. Wow. That one is a tough question, actually. Maybe Anderson Silva, he was goaded back in the day. I don't want to leave anyone outside that, you know, because I love many of them and I respect, and then they inspire me in different moments of my career. Number three. Who it would be? Number three. Number three, George St. Pierre.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, he was my favorite. I'm from Canada, so he.

[Co-Host]

Yeah, bruh.

[Interviewer]

The way that he would mix up his wrestling and his striking, his wrestling was so dominant. And then he'd get up and do, like, the Superman punches and the kicks.

[Ilia Topuria]

They were like fighters, you know? And Jon Jones, he's still.

[Interviewer]

You think the Jon Jones vs. Aspinall fight happens?

[Ilia Topuria]

For sure that's gonna happen. The UFC wants to make happen something.

[Interviewer]

The UFC wants it, but it's acting. Joan Jones is saying publicly that he. You know, he's kind of being, like, iffy online about it, but maybe that's just A negotiation tactic, right?

[Ilia Topuria]

Negotiation, tactical. That's the truth. Maybe this is what he wants to go go inside the octagon, because at this point, he don't need to fight anymore. You know, if he fights, he's honest. Like, this is what I need to go inside that octagon and put the performance you want from my side. So this is what motivates me. This is what I need to go in. If you're willing to pay me, just pay me. If not, God bless you. We all good.

[Interviewer]

If anyone's earned a fat payday, it's him, right? For how long he's been in the UFC?

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't know for how many. He's almost 40, right?

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

And he became a world champion with 23.

[Interviewer]

Crazy.

[Ilia Topuria]

So only calculating since the day he became a world champion to now, it's 17 years almost. So, yeah.

[Interviewer]

How do you see that fight playing out, bro?

[Ilia Topuria]

I like Aspinall also. He's a great fighter, and he represents also a new generation. He's a new blood. But I don't know, man. At the same time, I don't want to say anything because I know how it feels when. When someone gets a question about me. When I was fighting, for example, with Max Holloway, and they were asked, what do you think about this fight? I understand that they can't go against Max Holloway because it's very difficult to bet, bet again against someone like him. But they don't know my reality. They don't know how much I'm working, how much I decide that victory and how much I'm willing to give to get it. So maybe we have the same case with Thomas. I don't know. It's like.

[Interviewer]

It'S a tough one to crash.

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't wanna.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, you don't want to get.

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't want to. Yeah. Because I respect both of them so much.

[Interviewer]

How happy for that you're like, with me, Rob and stuff. That two Georgian champs at the same.

[Ilia Topuria]

Time, he's a machine. He's so crazy.

[Interviewer]

At the same time, he's fucking hilarious.

[Ilia Topuria]

That guys, if I do the same kind of things as he does, you would say, this guy's crazy. But on him, bro, it looks great. I don't know what you make of.

[Interviewer]

His last performance, because I was fucking hyped for that fight.

[Ilia Topuria]

And like, the fucking machine. I love the performance he had the last time he. He showed that he's the world champion. He's the best. I saw him enjoying inside the Octagon, because if you don't have that, that. That kind of control which he had. And you can do this kind of things and you can laugh on. On the guy when you take him down and you are not able to do that kind of things because you're so nervous. So he showed a different kind of level, you know, he. He's the best.

[Interviewer]

Were you surprised at his dominance in that fight?

[Ilia Topuria]

Oh, this is what I, what I was expecting from him. I always knew that he was much better than. Than that guy, that normal medal. Much better, bro. They. You see me up sometimes. You see me up, you see him fighting and you think like, this guy is not going to take me down because he's. Takedowns doesn't look like very technical, but when you do spottings with him or you fight with him, everything changes. You know, his timing, the way he moves, the way he does it. There's a reason why he is the best in the world.

[Interviewer]

I don't see anyone. It's going to be tough for someone to beat him, right?

[Ilia Topuria]

Very, very tough. Everything can happen in a fight.

[Interviewer]

But his gas tank, bro. Crazy. Like, to see that happen to a Dagestani as a fan is like, whoa.

[Ilia Topuria]

But none of them have like a special cardio and. And special stamina, you know what I mean? The way they do it, it's like if you see fighting any of them, the thing they need, when they go inside the octane in the first contact, they want to feel that they dominate you. And they. They start to build a confidence since that like I. I can dominate you. Maybe you escape. We. We go in the striking again, but I felt that I'm stronger than you. But if they feel in the first contact, in the first round, but that they can control you, that it's very competitive, their head goes down. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So what you think it's about beating them in the earlier rounds?

[Ilia Topuria]

This is what they try to do to beat you in the earlier rounds to feel that they can dominate you, that they are stronger than you. This is what they try to do all the time. But when they realize that it's not like that most of the time they lose that kind of fights. All the competitive fights, they lose all of them. Or you see them dominating everything, like take the people down, dominate them in the ground, or if you see a competitive fight, they lose.

[Interviewer]

So if you move up, do you think Merav will ever move up as well? Or will you defend both at the same time?

[Ilia Topuria]

Because I was talking with him the last day and I'm like, man, listen, you could easily beat everyone That I beat. You could fight with Max Holloway, with. Walk with everyone and doing what you're doing in the bantamweight division and beat them. You can do that.

[Interviewer]

And that's something that he says he wants to do as well.

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't know. I don't know. Sometimes he's like.

[Interviewer]

He just lives in the moment, right?

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah. Sometimes he's like, I don't want to do this, and then you see some announcement that he's doing it. I don't know.

[Interviewer]

So is this going to be like a showdown one day? Like Georgia versus Dagestan?

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't know.

[Interviewer]

There's a little bit Georgia Dagestani beef, right?

[Ilia Topuria]

Not at all. I don't know. This may be what the perspection of the people that they see it this way. But the competition is with everyone all competing with each other, you know, and the sport is about it. We have to compete. That's why we there. I don't. I don't hate anyone. Yeah, anyone is like all. All of them are fighting for daydreams to give a better life to their family. So you can't hate that.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

How important is family to you and what you're doing?

[Ilia Topuria]

So you can get everything in this life, but it's not worth it if you don't have the right people to share it. You know what I mean? So my family means everything to me.

[Co-Host]

Yeah, everything.

[Interviewer]

Are your kids training? I think I've seen some videos.

[Ilia Topuria]

My kid, my son.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, he's training.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, he's training and he's very good. If you see.

[Interviewer]

I've seen the videos, I think. Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

You see the way he moves in boxing and the combinations he does, Especially the last times when I saw him training.

[Interviewer]

How old is he now?

[Ilia Topuria]

Five.

[Interviewer]

Five, bro.

[Ilia Topuria]

Long combinations, the way he moves the.

[Interviewer]

Head just right away.

[Ilia Topuria]

Right away.

[Interviewer]

And when you put gloves on him.

[Ilia Topuria]

When he was three years old. But it wasn't me, like, come and we gonna train and do this or do that. He was always asking me, dad, please train me, dad, please. I want to go with you, dad, please, please, please, please, please. Because I don't want to push him. I don't want to put him anywhere where he doesn't want to be, you know, because no one had to push me to do what I'm doing. Never ever. No one. My parents never had to knock my door, Ilya, go to train. Never. So I want to live him and be guided by God.

[Interviewer]

What is he training? Just boxing or is he doing everything boxing?

[Ilia Topuria]

He's doing Jiu Jitsu, also. We do sometimes. He likes to. So soccer also. He trained soccer. He's very good at soccer also.

[Interviewer]

What's one of your, like, biggest purchases since you've become financially successful? Are you, like, into cars? You got a nice watch.

[Ilia Topuria]

To be honest, the biggest purchase I had. Yeah. Maybe Cars. What?

[Interviewer]

Cars.

[Ilia Topuria]

Watches. Me, personally, I love the Aston Martins, so. Yeah, I drive Aston Martin because I like it.

[Interviewer]

That's nice.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Would you ever do, like, one of those super fights, like, a Jake Paul type crossover thing ever, after the ufc? And who would be one of the opponents that you'd want to do it with? Like, the biggest one ever.

[Ilia Topuria]

The biggest one ever that I. I would like to fight with Elon Musk.

[Co-Host]

Why?

[Interviewer]

Because you're friends with soccer?

[Ilia Topuria]

No, no, no, no, no, no. I was joking. I like Elon Musk. I learned so many things from him. Who I would like to fight.

[Interviewer]

Maybe it'll come in the next.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah, we will see it. We will see, because we're gonna have. For sure. We're gonna have more YouTubers. That's for sure.

[Interviewer]

I thought Jake Paul might fight Canelo.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah. But they announced the fight in. In a couple minutes after they cancel it. Then they announced the fight with Crawford. It was canceled also. And now he's fighting. I don't know the guy.

[Interviewer]

I don't know.

[Ilia Topuria]

Kind of weird thing was going on.

[Interviewer]

What do you think? About what, Like, Jake Paul's doing, you think it's good or you think it's bad?

[Ilia Topuria]

You have to respect that.

[Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

One way or other, he makes you to go to the TV and watch him fight, and you have to give him his credit, you know? And a lot of people say he's a YouTuber. Do the same thing. Do it. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Try to take it very seriously.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah. The people doesn't understand how difficult it is to. When you're fighting on Saturday, you have so many things going on on Saturday, you have. I don't. Concerts, you can go and watch a movie. I don't know. So many things. On why someone has to choose you to stay at home or go to the stadium and watch your fight. You have to have that ability, and he has it, and you have to respect that.

[Interviewer]

What about outside the ufc? What. What are your biggest, like, business goals? Like, do you have any businesses you're building? I know you just started working with the. Wow. The promotion in Spain.

[Ilia Topuria]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What other businesses are you doing outside the ufc?

[Ilia Topuria]

So, to be honest, I have many things going on. I don't want to, like, talk Deeply about, about it. Before, I used to be this way, that, that people was bringing me proposals and they were like, we gonna make this money and this much, and da, da, da. And I'm like, now I'm like, wait, wait, wait.

[Interviewer]

You gotta be very picky.

[Ilia Topuria]

Choose way, way picky. Because the way I say it, it's in my life, I'm gonna have, I'm gonna have. And all I need is maybe five big opportunities, you know, So I want to be able to choose them very calm and don't be like, I'm gonna make money now in one year and that's it. No, no, I want everything I do. I want to build an empire, you know, I want to build a monster. I want to build something big. And at the same time is if I'm not in, I don't know what's going on, and I don't want to do anything that I'm not learning anything, and I'm doing it only because of money.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that's the way to do it.

[Ilia Topuria]

It's not the way I see it, you know, the way I see it, even if it doesn't play out the way I want it, I learned, and I'm much better than I was before this the way I see it. Because you can take everything from me and I would make it again because I know how to fight.

[Interviewer]

I think your manager said that's the toughest part of his job, is turning down all the big deals that you get big money.

[Ilia Topuria]

Exactly. Because I don't want to promote anything that I'm not taking or I'm not drinking, I'm not doing in my life, only promoting because of money. I don't see it in. God is telling you exactly that. Don't do that kind of things.

[Interviewer]

So what do we see? Ilya Toporia, how many times do you think you fight this year?

[Ilia Topuria]

Hopefully two, three times. That will be good.

[Interviewer]

Two, three, yeah.

[Ilia Topuria]

Because I don't like to fight, like a lot because I like to prepare all my fights as a professional and I like to respect all my opponents, to analyze them, to do the right game plan and work on it. So, two, three times.

[Interviewer]

When do you think. Is there a month or a range? You think that we see you come back?

[Ilia Topuria]

I don't want to say it. I don't want to say anything because they asked me to. Don't say anything. But hopefully we're gonna have some, some announcements really soon. Maybe the next week. Awesome. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Well, I think this is amazing. I don't want to take up too much, too much. Your time. I appreciate you. And, yeah, I think. I think you're on trajectory, man, to be the biggest, biggest superstar in the ufc. We're supporting you. We love watching your fights and appreciate it. Wish you nothing but the best.

[Ilia Topuria]

Thank you very much. Elliot, my man. Thank you, brother.

[Interviewer]

Appreciate.