Ilia Topuria says the financial pressure that followed him through the early part of his career is gone after UFC 317.
Topuria is 17-0 in professional MMA, with seven knockout wins and eight submission wins. He won the UFC lightweight title at UFC 317 by knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Before that, Topuria won the UFC featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 on February 17, 2024. He defended the belt with a third-round knockout of Max Holloway at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024, then vacated the featherweight title on April 12, 2025.
In a Spanish-language clip shared by Championship Rounds and credited to Jorge Ebro, Topuria said his last fight changed the way he carries responsibility into competition. The lines below are translated from the video.
“After my last fight, I’m done being in a place where I do everything out of necessity,” Topuria said.
“So, for the first time in my life, I’m really going to step into the octagon where my life doesn’t depend at all on what happens there, like it used to depend before.”
“Because you start your sports career, you have to sustain it financially, you have a lot of responsibilities, you feel pressure in your head.”
“Thank God, he has given me that structure where neither I nor my children will ever lack anything.”
Watch the full clip below:
Ilia Topuria says he no longer needs to fight for money after his last fight:
"For the first time in my life, I'm going to step into the octagon where my life doesn't depend on what happens in there.
Thank God for giving me the stability where neither I nor my children will… pic.twitter.com/n0CL4Q29jf
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 1, 2026
Topuria Says Fans Will See El Matador At 200%
Topuria said that part of his career is finished.
“We’ve left that in the past,” Topuria said. “So now they’re going to see a different Ilia. They’re going to see El Matador, not at 100%, but at 200%, where he truly enjoys the art.”
“And I’m telling you, if I was dangerous before, now I’m extremely dangerous.”
Beyond those title wins, Topuria also holds UFC victories over Josh Emmett and Bryce Mitchell, two results that helped push him from contender to champion.
Topuria is scheduled to defend the lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026, at the White House in Washington. Gaethje brings a direct threat to that claim, with pressure fights, leg kicks, knockout power, and UFC wins over Dustin Poirier, Rafael Fiziev, Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone, and Edson Barboza.
