Ilia Topuria’s opponent, Justin Gaethje, stood with his mouth slightly agape as he looked up, down, side to side, and all around him. It’s understandable that the American fighter was overawed; here he was, standing at the Lincoln Memorial, about to wage a war of words with Topuria before waging a war in the cage on Sunday – on the White House’s South Lawn. So how comes Topuria, when he emerged moments later, was wearing a smirk?
There is an eerie coldness to Topuria at times. In our previous interview, in 2023, he asked me: “Do you know how good I am? I can submit my opponent, I can knock him out. I can do with him whatever I want.” These were rhetorical questions, but I couldn’t help feeling somewhat interrogated, as if the German-born Spanish-Georgian thought I did not truly appreciate his skills. In that moment, “El Matador” seemed more bull than man.
Three years on, as he speaks to The Independent again, those finely-curated skills have changed his career, and his life. Now a two-weight world champion – and still unbeaten – he is preparing for the most surreal job he will ever undertake: fighting at the White House.
Gaethje, a friend of US President Donald Trump, may find himself overawed; Topuria will not. This is a man who celebrates his victories in advance, gathering with friends and family to drink wine and eat in the days before untethering his opponents from consciousness, leaving them lying somewhere near an advert on the canvas of the UFC Octagon – a Monster Energy logo, a Modelo one.
Gaethje, the interim lightweight champion, is an icon; but Topuria is the reigning undisputed champion, and he has become an icon himself since we last spoke, courtesy of three straight KOs of legendary fighters: Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. He is 17-0, but his social-media bios read 18-0. Arrogant? Actually, prophetic might be a more fitting word.
But coping with those occasions is different to reckoning with fighting another man in a cage, in your underwear, on the South Lawn. Or is it?
“For me, the approach is always the same,” the 29-year-old says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a fight, a walkout, or an event like the White House. I stay very calm, because I trust the work I’ve already done. Everything important happens long before those moments.
“When you’re prepared the right way, there’s no reason to feel pressure, you just go and enjoy it. I’ve always believed in visualisation; I see the moment before it happens, so when I’m there, it’s already familiar to me. That’s why I look relaxed, because in my mind I’ve already lived it.
“Of course, every situation is different, but my mentality doesn’t change. I stay focused, present, and in control. Calm, disciplined, and ready for whatever.”
Discipline has been important to Topuria in a year in which it might have difficult to stay calm. Over the last 12 months, Topuria has gone through a highly-publicised divorce from the mother of his daughter, and such is the world of mixed martial arts that this personal saga has become subject matter for trash talking.
When Gaethje, 37, mentioned it this week, Topuria fired back on social media and accused his opponent of crossing a line. Topuria’s tone read as calm but stern. History suggests he will punish Gaethje in the cage.
“As a person, I’ve grown a lot over the last year, in terms of mindset and responsibility,” Topuria says now. “Success brings more attention and pressure, but I feel more grounded than ever. I’m more focused on my discipline, faith, the people around me.
“I’ve learned to block out the noise, to keep my life simple. At the end of the day, that’s what allows me to perform at my best: being clear mentally, being grateful, and staying true to who I am.”
And how has Topuria changed as a fighter over the last year? Known for a brutal power that belies his somewhat-diminutive stature, Topuria might argue – as he did to me, in that interview three years ago – that his skillset is more well-rounded than people realise. Indeed, he has submitted jiu-jitsu specialists and outwrestled wrestlers.
“I think the biggest change over the last year has been my maturity inside the cage,” Topuria says. “Everything I do now has a purpose, I’m not just relying on instinct or talent.
“I’m making better decisions, controlling the rhythm, and understanding exactly when to push and when to stay patient. I’ve always believed in my abilities, but now I’m combining that belief with a higher level of intelligence and composure.”
A year feels a fitting measurement, given Topuria hasn’t fought in 12 months. Last time out, though, he put Oliveira to sleep with a sickening shot within two-and-a-half minutes, just as he predicted/promised. Topuria’s prophetic speech and ability to deliver on it are reminiscent of Conor McGregor, although the Spanish-Georgian is keen to stay on a smoother track outside the cage.
Also, while a 37-year-old McGregor continues to seek a fighting return, five years after suffering a broken leg, Topuria seems destined to retire young. With Topuria having made good money in a short time (especially in comparison to most MMA fighters), his legacy looks like it could be unique: that of a fighter scaling the mountain and paragliding safely home from the summit, rather than sticking around to suffer the slow, involuntary descent back to basecamp.
“I understand why people say that [I’ll retire young], because I’m very clear about what I want and how I want to achieve it,” Topuria says. “I’m not someone who needs to stay in the game forever.
“For me, this is about legacy, about reaching my full potential, and doing it the right way. But at the same time, I don’t put a specific timeline on it. I feel amazing right now, and I’m enjoying every moment of this journey. As long as I feel that fire, that hunger to improve and to compete at the highest level, I will continue.
“I don’t look too far ahead, especially before a fight like this. My focus is completely on Justin. Everything else will take care of itself at the right time. When the day comes that I feel I’ve done everything I set out to do, I’ll be at peace with it. I think that might come sooner than later, but it will be on my terms.”
There’s plenty to keep Topuria occupied in retirement, not least his young daughter and his son, whom he referred to as a “man” when we last spoke – when Hugo was just three.
“I remember saying that, and I still feel the same,” says Topuria. “He’s always had a strong character, even from a very young age. But now you can really see his personality developing: he’s becoming more aware of everything around him, he asks more questions.
“For me, the most important thing is the values he grows up with: respect, discipline, and being a good person. Of course, as a father, I feel very proud when I see how he carries himself. He’s still a child, but at the same time, I can see the man he’s going to become, and that makes me very happy.
“I just try to guide him the best way I can, set the right example, and be present, because at the end of the day, that’s what he’ll remember.” Not everyone’s dad fights at the White House when they go to work, Hugo.
Ilia Topuria is a Montirex brand ambassador, he’s launching his debut collection with Montirex later this year.
