Ilia Topuria is infamous for his gym stories.
Prior to winning even his first world title, there were multiple tales of Topuria showing up at a world-class gym like Sanford MMA and then knocking out a bunch of his sparring partners. There’s footage online of Topuria flooring partners with body shots, and his good friend and UFC Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has admitted he refuses to spar with Topuria
anymore.By all accounts, Topuria is just as legit in the gym as he is in the Octagon.
Would-be
opponent Arman Tsarukyan is less convinced. According to the top-ranked Lightweight contender, Topuria only trains his stand up skills and wouldn’t be able to keep up in the wrestling rooms of top countries like Chechnya and Dagestan.
“If I ever fight [Topuria] I’ll make him tired with my wrestling,” Tsarukyan began. “He won’t be able to handle the pace I’m going to impose on him. He spends all day hitting pads and boxing. Nobody takes him down during his trainings. He brings in some random sparring partners, drops them, and everyone thinks he’s so great. I think if we send him to any gym in Chechnya or Dagestan, amateurs there will be taking him down and smashing him.”
Despite Tsarukyan’s criticisms, Topuria’s wrestling has held up incredibly well so far. However, he has yet to face an 155-pound ace wrestler like Tsarukyan or Islam Makhachev, so perhaps Tsarukyan’s words could eventually be proven prophetic. Before then, however, Tsarukyan will have to get through veteran contender Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC Qatar.
As for Topuria, the reigning Lightweight king remains unbooked.
