Ilia Topuria has stayed out of the spotlight since losing for the first time in his career in a lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje at the UFC: White House event back in June, but now he’s back with a slickly produced, heart-felt message to his young son, Hugo.
“Hugo, I’ve been thinking about you these past two days,” Topuria says in his new video on Instagram. “About what you felt when you saw me go down. I know it hurt you. And as your dad, I would’ve done anything to spare you from that moment. But I’m also glad we went through it together because that day made us both stronger. I want you to always remember one thing: you won’t always win in life, and that’s ok. Because losing isn’t what matters. What matters is how you lose. Who you choose to be when everything goes dark. When you have to choose between staying on the ground and getting back up.
“I think God wanted me to go through that moment to teach me something no victory ever could. Character doesn’t show up when everything’s going your way. It shows up when life throws its hardest day at you, and you know what I found? After going through that hell, I’m stronger than I was before, because a champion isn’t someone who never falls. It’s someone who always finds a reason to get back up.
“That’s all I want for you. Not that you always win. but that you’re never afraid to lose. That no defeat ever gets to tell you who you are. Only you get to decide that, and no matter what happens, always remember this – Character is the one victory no one can ever take away from you.”
Hopefully this message signals that the 29-year-old Topuria has now come to terms with the first loss of his 18-fight career, and is ready to line-up his next major match-up the Octagon.
Up to this point Topuria’s persona has been built off his supreme confidence that he was unbeatable, to the extent that he would even make a point of celebrating his victories the day before they happened.
However, against the odds Gaethje turned his world upside down by dishing out a beatdown that forced his corner to throw in the towel after the fourth round on the most high-profile stage possible at the White House.
With that in mind it’ll be very interesting to see how Topuria adapts to this new reality both inside and outside the Octagon, and whether he can now return to the form that saw him become a two-division champion and one of the biggest stars in the sport.
