What does Ilia Topuria know in regards to the streets? Greater than a few of his haters would suppose, it appears.
Main as much as his UFC 308 victory over Max Holloway, Topuria gave the impression to be beefing with half the Russian fighters on the roster because of feedback about Islam Makhachev. “El Matador” expressed curiosity in preventing the light-weight champion however specified it might be within the cage, not the streets.
“When did you ever battle on the road European boy?” was the response from Mak’s teammate and Bellator light-weight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.
That turned a repeated line throughout social media and boards throughout battle week, and one media member even requested Topuria throughout media day what he knew of road preventing. Topuria refused to reply, however not as a result of he didn’t have experiences to share.
In accordance with Topuria’s mom, Ilia and his brother Aleksandre have been pressured to battle on the streets of Rustavi, Georgia repeatedly.
“It was not uncommon, it was a every day routine,” she wrote in a brand new e book about her son (translated by Giorgi Kokiashvili). “Every time they have been within the streets, they have been preventing. Think about: a number of boys would seem … they’d come and inform you that they wished your hat or your belt. There have been 3 ways – giving up, operating away and preventing.”
I am studying the e book “Mom & Ilia” which is devoted to the story of Ilia Topuria’s mom, Inga, who’s from Abkhazia, a area of Georgia occupied by Russia.
There is part of the story about Ilia and his brother, Aleksandre, preventing within the streets of Rustavi, Georgia. I… pic.twitter.com/X1lxbx6jKA
— Giorgi Kokiashvili (@iHeartGeorgius1) October 30, 2024
“Ilia and Aleksandre all the time most popular to battle, and on the finish of the day, they all the time had their hat and belt.”
“It was not in regards to the issues,” she wrote. “It was about securing and defending their place within the streets … The best way to their greatest championship belts began with retaining their very own, odd belts within the streets of Rustavi.”
Not that we expect anybody must be encouraging all this speak of road preventing. The UFC has been fortunate that their comparatively latest hands-off strategy to unsanctioned assaults and brawls hasn’t resulted in any severe damage. They may not be so fortunate when the added tensions between Russia and Georgia are added into the combo.
The very last thing we’d like is a few scenario the place issues go horribly sideways, particularly involving the UFC’s subsequent potential breakout star. However for the file: Topuria is not any stranger to defending himself on the streets.
