Ilia Topuria opened up about his first career loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. ‘El Matador’ shared a brutally honest post-fight reflection, in which he questioned his own motives for fighting.
Topuria lost via 4th round TKO by corner stoppage after he was unable to continue before the final round. The former two-division UFC champion has since broken his silence and addressed his loss.
Now, Topuria revealed what his mindset was after suffering the first loss of his career. ‘El Matador’ was candid about experiencing a dark side of the sport. The emotions of losing and seeing the damage he absorbed led to Topuria to lean on his faith for guidance.
“For many years, I knew one feeling: winning. I had fought 18 professional fights; 17 nights ended the way I wanted, and one did not. For the first time in my professional career, I had lost. That night I also discovered a side of the sport I had never experienced before: both orbital bones fractured, my septum broken, and my foot broken,” Topuria wrote on his website.
He continued:
“I remember waking up and looking myself in the mirror. For a few seconds, I did not recognize the face staring back at me,” he wrote. “I thought, ‘This can’t be, this can’t be me.’ It was difficult to hold my gaze, but something happened that may sound strange from the outside: as I looked at myself, I felt more respect for myself. I could even say I loved myself a little more.”
Ilia Topuria Reveals He is Still Passionate About Fighting
Ilia Topuria also revealed that his loss did not take away his passion for fighting.
The former two-division UFC champion admitted he initially feared that a loss would have that effect on him. However, to his own surprise, Topuria became even more eager to return.
“Defeat did not extinguish the fire. It made it bigger, I wanted more than ever to train, to return, and to do things right,” Topuria wrote on his website. “I could not even fully explain why. Love? Ego? Money? Competition? I do not know. I am still discovering it. And I like being able to admit that, because some questions do not need an immediate answer.”
He continued:
“I looked in the mirror and could respect the man standing in front of me. To me, that is worth more than any perfect record.”
Topuria Says He Has No Excuses for His First UFC Loss
Topuria also made it clear that he is not making any excuses for his first UFC loss. On the contrary, he has accepted it and is using it as added motivation to return stronger.
Although losing was disappointing, Topuria found solace in how he prepared for his fight against Gaethje.
“I knew something better than anyone: I had given everything, I had arrived prepared, and I felt good physically, mentally, and spiritually. I did not need to search for an excuse, I had tried, and that night it had not worked out,” Topuria wrote on his website. “That was all. I discovered that I could live with it, because when you know deep inside that you gave everything, the result hurts, but it does not destroy you.”
Ilia Topuria Opens Up With Brutally Honest Post-Fight Reflection