Ilia Topuria, the former UFC featherweight champion, has made a bold move by parting ways with his long-time coaches, Jorge and Agustin Climent, just weeks before his lightweight title fight at UFC 317. UFC analyst Chael Sonnen has voiced serious concerns, warning that Topuria’s new training approach without a head coach could hinder his performance against Charles Oliveira.
Topuria started training at Climent Club in Alicante, Spain, as a teenager under the Climent brothers. Their coaching led to an undefeated 16-0 record, with key victories like his knockout of Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title in February 2024 and a historic stoppage of Max Holloway at UFC 308.
The Climent brothers developed Topuria’s grappling and MMA skills, helping him gain fame with fans like soccer star Sergio Ramos. After moving to Madrid for business reasons, Topuria struggled to train with his Alicante-based coaches. The four-hour commute for his last fight became impractical, leading to a mutual split. Topuria shared his appreciation, stating, “We thank them for all these years of mutual learning and growth, and wholeheartedly wish them all the best.”
Sonnen’s Warning on a Coachless Approach
Chael Sonnen, speaking on his YouTube channel, expressed unease about Topuria’s decision.
“It’s a hard story for me to look at,” he said. “I just know I couldn’t have done it. If one day Clayton, my coach, calls me up and tells me he’s out, I would’ve been done. I could overcome a lot of things, but not that.” He noted the rarity of Topuria’s choice, adding, “This was by choice, but you’re still somewhere else, and I have never seen anybody be able to prepare themselves.”
Sonnen stressed the value of a coach, citing examples from other sports.
“Mayweather has a coach, Mike Tyson has a coach, Serena has a coach, Lebron has a coach, Kobe has a coach, Tiger Woods,” he said. “They’ve all got a coach. Everybody has somebody – whether it’s knowledge, inspiration or that extra drive, but everybody has a coach.” He warned that replacing a coach rarely succeeds, stating, “I have seen plenty of greats that have tried to hire that coach or lost that coach because they thought they could replace somebody. I just don’t have one of those stories that has worked out.”
Topuria’s new Madrid-based team includes boxing coach Javi Climent, nutritionist Jesus Gallo, physical trainer Aldo Martinez, and jiu-jitsu black belts Mani Tavanaei and Mathias Ribeiro. Training at home without a head coach, this setup concerns Sonnen.
“For some reason, it doesn’t sit well with me,” he said. “I’m thinking about these people coming into his house every day, and then they leave, and then somebody has to go clean the room, and it just gets annoying. We’ll see how long this lasts.” via MMAJunkie
Sonnen’s doubts come from his fighting career and seeing athletes struggle after losing key coaches. He believes the logistics of Topuria’s home-based training could distract him from preparing for the fight.
Topuria’s Lightweight Challenge
Topuria faces Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title on June 28, 2025, in Las Vegas, marking his debut at 155 pounds. Oliveira, with 23 UFC wins and a recent victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 309, is a formidable opponent known for his submission skills. The fight offers Topuria a chance to become a two-division champion, a rare achievement in UFC history.
With Sonnen’s warnings highlighting the risks, Topuria’s confidence and perfect record face a major test. As UFC 317 nears, fans will watch to see if his new training approach leads to victory or validates Sonnen’s concerns.
