Ilia Topuria did not have an easy path to MMA glory.
Currently the UFC lightweight champion and N0. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Topuria is one of only 11 fighters to ever win titles in two UFC weight classes, and has already established himself as one of the best fighters of his generation. But the road to all his sporting glory wasn’t always easy. Topuria was born in Germany to parents who were refugees from Georgia, but moved back to his home country when he was seven-years old. And things were anything but rosy growing up there.
“We lived in Georgia,” Topuria told Charlas Adictivas. “We studied at a school there, and anyone who knows the culture of our country knows that it’s tough. There’s a constant confrontation with the kids at school, and you have to stand up for yourself a lot of the time. And when you’re little, you don’t know what’s right, what’s wrong, how to defend yourself, who to turn to, because since I was always a kid who didn’t like confrontations in the street, I liked sports. And many people might think that because of the stereotype of practicing martial arts and MMA, that it can become aggressive, but the truth is that I never liked having confrontations with anyone on the street or in a non-sports environment.
“But, unfortunately, sometimes you had to face those kinds of situations, and well, I felt afraid. I felt afraid because you’d go to recess and the older kids would try to get a coin from you, or you’d buy something, or they’d make fun of you. And we all have crushes on someone in our class, and that makes you feel inferior, and in your own world, it awakens a sadness, and then, it changes how people think about you. You start to feel less, like you don’t have that courage, until you start to speak up.”
Topuria did not stay in Georgia forever. When he was 15, Topuria again relocated, this time to Spain, where he began seriously training MMA, making his professional debut just a few years later. And “El Matador” believes that the hardships he overcame earlier in his life have been a key factor in the person and athlete he’s become.
“I think that sometimes in life we have scripts and then branches appear that are what really bring you that surprise factor,” Topuria said. “And those are truly the most fun moments to experience. And I’m truly grateful for everything I have experienced so far. I have lived through stormy moments, glorious moments, successful moments, ups and downs, but I am grateful for all the moments because in the end, they have shaped the person I am. …
“Without a doubt, you need those stormy moments in your life to really develop your full potential,” Topuria continued. “Because if you always live in sunny days, I really think you don’t expose yourself to situations that require you to truly summon that courage. That courage is not put to the test. And if everything is a bed of roses, in the end, why bother making an effort? So, whenever I face any difficult moment in my life, any storm, I always see it as a learning experience, something that will make me much better, and that’s always how it turns out.”
Topuria makes his return to the octagon on June 14 at UFC White House, where he defends his lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje in the main event.
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