Ilia Topuria has long been known for his brutal gym sessions. Even before reaching championship status, stories circulated about him knocking down sparring partners in high-intensity sessions. Clips online show him ripping body shots and ending rounds early, building a reputation as a fearsome striker even behind closed doors.
UFC bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili once admitted he avoids sparring with Topuria entirely, joking that his power makes those rounds feel like real fights. Many describe Topuria’s gym work as “fight nights without lights.”
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Tsarukyan Fires Verbal Shots
Top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan isn’t impressed by the stories. He believes Topuria hasn’t tested himself against elite wrestlers in intense environments like Dagestan and Chechnya.
“If I ever fight [Topuria] I’ll make him tired with my wrestling,” Tsarukyan said. “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.”
He emphasized that while Topuria’s striking is dangerous, he wouldn’t last long in rooms filled with relentless grapplers. Tsarukyan pointed out that Dagestan’s amateur wrestlers are often tougher than many pros when it comes to endurance and pace.
😳 Arman Tsarukyan says Ilia Topuria would be smashed if he went to train at any gym in Dagestan
“He brings in some random sparring partners [to his trainings], drops them, and everyone thinks he’s so great…
If we’ll send him to any gym in Chechnya or Dagestan, amateurs there… pic.twitter.com/RG1K7YRgot
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 3, 2025
Striking vs Dagestani Pressure
Topuria’s defensive wrestling has held up well in his fights so far, but he hasn’t faced pressure from fighters like Islam Makhachev or Tsarukyan himself. Many fans are curious to see how his precise boxing would hold up against nonstop grappling.
Tsarukyan doubled down, suggesting Topuria trains too comfortably:
“He only does stand-up. He never trains in rooms where people can push him, make him tired. That’s why people think he’s untouchable.”
Before any clash can happen, Tsarukyan faces Dan Hooker in the UFC Qatar main event, a matchup that could earn him a title shot with a dominant showing.
Topuria currently has no fight scheduled, but his unbeaten streak and confident personality keep him in headlines. Tsarukyan’s comments have added fuel to what could become one of the most anticipated lightweight matchups — the Georgian-Spanish striker versus the relentless Armenian grappler.
