Ilia Topuria Hurting Sparring Partners

Ilia Topuria’s training base in Miami indicates that the undefeated UFC lightweight champion is pushing his teammates to the extreme.

Topuria will face interim titleholder Justin Gaethje at the White House on June 14. Reports indicate that sparring partners have requested that Ilia “go softer.” Topuria captured the vacant lightweight belt at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025, delivering a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira. 

Gaethje earned his spot in this unification bout by defeating Paddy Pimblett for the interim title in January 2026, a victory that many believe has revitalized the veteran for one final run at the title. However, Ilia is leaving no stone unturned in his current preparation.

“Go a little softer, you’re a gazelle. I don’t even notice when I pick up the pace.“He’s so heated he thinks Justin’s in front of him, we’re not Justin. His hands have real power behind them,” sparring partner

“He kept telling me to slow down but I swear I don’t feel it,” Topuria

The Future

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Ilia is not overlooking Justin, given the amount of work he is putting into the camp. However, he has set his sights on UFC Welterweight Champion Islam Makhachev provided he gets past Justin. Ilia knows a win over Islam would make him a three-weight world champion. In doing so, he would go down as one of the greatest UFC fighters.

“My goal as a sportsman is always to achieve great things in the sport. So what bigger [thing] can you achieve as a sportsman to collect the third belt? So I would love to defend my belt against Justin and then had the have the opportunity to move up in the welterweight division and get my third belt. That will be my perfect scenario, but who knows? When I get the opportunity to fight with with someone, I always think about what can I do to really shock the world? So with Islam, to shock the world, I have to submit him. So this is what I think is gonna happen. I’m gonna take him down, and I’m gonna submit him,” Topuria said 

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