The sun hits hard and the heat hits when Ilia Topuria (17-0) He meets MARCA at his house in Madrid. There are just over two months left until the ‘Matador’ faces Justin Gaethje (27-5) in the garden of the White House, in what will be one of the most iconic events in the history of combat sports. Topuria, who will fight again almost a year after his last victory, sits down with this newspaper after having finished another of his intense training sessions. And it talks about what will be… but also about what could have been.
Ask. Almost a year has passed since his last victory against Charles Oliveira… What Ilia Topuria can people expect?
Answer. Well, what I always say… from one fight to another, if you do things well, you evolve, you improve… you add new things to your arsenal. So I hope you see an improved Ilia.
Q. A stronger Ilia Topuria, generally speaking, in 2026 than in 2025?
R. Without a doubt, without a doubt, but in all aspects.
Q. When did you find out that you were going to fight at UFC Casa Blanca?
R. I found out I was going to fight at the White House event, to be honest, like two days before. But knowing that I was going to be in the White House… I knew it from the first moment and I was always preparing for that moment because I knew they were going to count on me.
I found out I was going to fight at the White House event, to be honest, like two days before.
Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria, during the interview with MARCA.CHEMA KING.
Q. “Who wants to bet with me that I’m the main event in the White House?” That was his tweet in September 2025.
R. Yes. I had no doubt, I had no doubts. That’s what I’m saying, when a company makes its exhibition and wants to bring its best products, I without a doubt consider myself one of the best products that the UFC has right now, if not the best… so I knew they were going to count, they had to count on me. Come on, if you do an exhibition, you want to show the sport in its essence and if you want to do it… you have to have Ilia Topuria there.
Without a doubt, I consider myself one of the best products that the UFC has right now, if not the best…
Ilia Topuria
Q. What does it mean to you to be the protagonist in one of the most iconic events in sport?
R. What does it mean to me? The truth is that every time I start to visualize it, that I’m going to be competing within the White House… the truth is that I don’t even know what to think, you know? It’s like being in such an iconic place, with so many personalities that are going to be there, millions and millions of eyes on it… I don’t know.
Being in such an iconic place, with so many personalities who are going to be there, millions and millions of eyes on…
Ilia Topuria
Q. Outdoor event, in addition.
R. Weird… And it’s a Sunday. The event will be held on a Sunday outdoors. I don’t know, it’s all very strange.
Q. But everything is going to end the same…
R. Everything will end the same, of course it will. But without a doubt it will be an experience to tell. Yeah, the next day you’re going to be like, ‘but what just happened?’
Ilia Topuria, during her interview with MARCA.CHEMA KING.
Q. The next day Spain debuts in the World Cup, also in the United States. It’s like they will only talk about Spain there for a few days…
R. I know a lot of people who are going to the White House event and from there they take the flight to go to the Spain game.
Q. I ask you about Islam Makhachev… you went to sleep…
R. Knowing and thinking that he was going to fight with Islam.
I went to sleep knowing and thinking that I was going to fight Islam Makhachev
Ilia Topuria
Q. But you wake up with Gaethje as your rival.
R. I didn’t wake up, they woke me up with many calls on the phone that it was going to be against Justin.
Q. Were you disappointed that it wasn’t against Makhachev?
R. That’s what I’m telling you, right? I don’t involve my feelings or emotions in things that are out of my control, you know? If it were in my control and it was due to some fault of mine, well, maybe I would worry… but since it is out of my control, what can I do?
I do not involve my feelings or emotions in things that are out of my control.
Ilia Topuria
Q. I personally don’t believe, I respect you enough to think that a fighter is not afraid of fighting another either. Why doesn’t Islam Makhachev fight with you?
R. I don’t think so either. I don’t know, strange people, strange people… I don’t know.
Ilia Topuria poses with her two UFC champion titles.UFC.
Q. Do you think that fight will happen one day?
R. I don’t know (laughs, ed.). I really don’t know. I’m willing, it’s just that all the time it’s like, look, they’ve called me: Islam. Islam. It’s not Islam, Justin. Come on, Justin. Just as if it is Arman…Arman. Paddy. Perfect. Whoever it is, I don’t care. Irati.
Q. That fight would be the shortest of all… or not.
R. I can tell you that fight with all the confidence in the world that it would never happen because I don’t think you would dare, right?
Q. Well… changing the subject. You are now experiencing it as a promoter in WOW FC and perhaps it will help you understand the UFC better. You can’t always have the best possible fights, right? Sometimes things happen…
R. That’s how it is. It’s just that people, the normal fan, always want to see the biggest fights but in the kitchen they see things from a different perspective. Future plans are different for each athlete and I don’t know, that’s what I’m telling you… it’s like giving advice to the UFC, a company that has reached this point… It’s a little complicated. That’s very difficult to do, and they won’t listen to you either.
The fan always wants to see the biggest fights but in the kitchen they see things from a different perspective
Ilia Topuria
Q. What do you think when you hear or read that ‘Ilia avoids such and such, Ilia avoids Arman…’? Because of course, at the same time, you ask to fight Makhachev… who is, on paper, a bigger target than Tsarukyan.
R. That’s what I’m telling you… I’m already used to it, I’m back from all those opinions.
Ilia Topuria, before a fight.UFC.
Q. Are you motivated by a fight with Justin Gaethje?
R. Yes, why not? Let’s see, that’s what I’m telling you… I remember when I changed categories, I was going to go up to lightweight. Everyone said that I was small, that they were going to finish me, that they were going to knock me out, that I don’t know what, that I don’t know how much… Then I go up and knock out Charles, and now the Justin Gaethje fight is announced and it’s like I’m fighting with, I don’t know, with a person who never did anything and they are underestimating him more than necessary. And I don’t know what that effect is due to, but what is clear is: a very tough guy, a guy who will undoubtedly end up in the Hall of Fame and who represents a lot of danger. But hey, it is true that you are somewhat right.
Gaethe is a very tough guy, a guy who will undoubtedly end up in the Hall of Fame and who represents a lot of danger
Ilia Topuria
Q. It is that facing this fight he is the one with the most unanimity regarding his favoritism…
R. I think that the public has already gotten to know me, they are already more aware of the skills that I represent inside the octagon and also analyzing the fighting style that Justin brings here, it is like the most likely thing is that he will end up asleep in the first round.
I am very sure of my victory
Ilia Topuria
Q. On your Instagram you have already put 18-0.
R. I am very confident of my victory.
Q. Will it reach 20-0?
R. It could be, it could be, it could be… I don’t know. That’s what I’m telling you, I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life six months from now. My life is like a roller coaster. Things happen every day, I receive calls from different parts of the world from different personalities, like there are so many things on the table that motivate me all at the same time but since I am aware of how the world of the universe really works, that I have to decide on one thing if I really want something to go well, you can’t be hunting 20 rabbits at the same time… I don’t know, honestly.
My life is like a roller coaster. Things happen every day, I receive calls from different parts of the world from different personalities
Ilia Topuria
From a sporting point of view, I feel that on a personal level I have fulfilled all the desires I had to become world champion, to defend it, to go up and get another title, now inside the White House, which was something irrefutable… ‘Let’s see, I have to enter the White House and compete there.’ Because in the end I do not base my life on the material things that I am achieving, but on the moments that I am capable of creating, that tomorrow I will be able to tell my children, my grandchildren, my friends… live it with my friends and my closest people. They are unique experiences. You can’t say no to those types of opportunities.
Ilia Topuria greets Dana White.UFC.
Q. So it depends on the challenges…
R. If it’s any event against someone who doesn’t represent anything to me, then maybe I’m not going to compete, but if it’s against someone who really motivates me, it’s something that generates that desire and hope in the public, well, I push forward.
If it’s just any event against someone who doesn’t represent anything to me, then maybe I’m not going to compete…
Ilia Topuria
Q. It is a historic week for WOW, a promoter of which you are a partner: they are going to Valencia, to the Roig Arena, and it will be the event with the largest audience in the history of Spanish MMA. They are going abroad, they have teamed up with Cristiano Ronaldo… How are you experiencing it?
R. Very good months, really. WOW has not stopped growing, we have grown exponentially, the truth is that it has been incredible. I have been surprised by how involved Cristiano has been from the moment he has been part of this family, always offering his help, always willing to do whatever is needed. He really is a sports lover, he really likes contact sports and I really want him to attend some WOW event… he was very close to coming to one of them, then things happened to him, but hey, surely great things await us ahead.
I have been surprised by how involved Cristiano has been from the moment he arrived at WOW
Ilia Topuria
Q. We will see a photo Ilia Topuria – Cristiano Ronaldo next to the WOW cage, then…
R. Sure. At some point, for sure.
