What’s the secret behind Ilia Topuria’s success? Observers have wondered ever since the reigning lightweight champion burst onto the UFC scene. He first claimed the featherweight title by defeating featherweight GOAT Alexander Volkanovski and then defended it against another legend, Max Holloway. The Georgian standout solidified his legacy last year when he defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 for the vacated 155-pound belt, becoming the 10th fighter to achieve that feat.

Since winning the lightweight belt, Ilia Topuria has taken a long break, dealing with personal issues, which prevented him from defending his title. Meanwhile, the division moved on without him, with the interim belt contested between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. Now, Topuria is back in the headlines, sharing the secrets behind his rise.

The strategy and style behind Ilia Topuria’s success

“Everyone has his own style. If that’s something that builds his confidence,” Ilia Topuria told Adin Ross, “that’s okay. There is no specific rule that you should follow. You just should follow your instinct, whatever builds your confidence and makes you feel comfortable. Before the fight, you have to do that.”

‘El Matador’ is regarded as one of the most accomplished fighters of his generation, with hands and deadly combinations capable of putting opponents to sleep. He has already showcased his striking against names like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. Yet, his foundation lies in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a skill set he has yet to fully display in the octagon.

“Me, personally, I love to work on the technique, to develop my skills, to feel more specific and to put myself into positions that could happen in a fight. I want to be able to have all the tools that I’m going to need in the fight. For example, if I’m fighting a wrestler, I want to be able to have all the tools in the world.”

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With that mindset, Ilia Topuria has steadily added defensive moves to his arsenal. And because he believes training makes a fighter perfect, he repeats the same techniques thousands of times. Now, he returns to action. Rumors suggest Topuria could defend his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event on June 14, but Dana White and Co. must still give the official green light.

Meanwhile, other top lightweight contenders, including Arman Tsarukyan, are already putting pressure on Topuria, as many see him as a potential threat to his throne. Nevertheless, Topuria remains confident.

Arman Tsarukyan won’t shake Ilia Topuria’s championship mindset

Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan have developed a rivalry over the past few years, which started when the UFC gave the Spanish star a direct lightweight title shot, bypassing the top-ranked Tsarukyan because of his own mistakes. Since then, Tsarukyan has tried to challenge Topuria through social media and interviews.

At one point, many expected the UFC to give Tsarukyan an interim title shot against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. However, that opportunity never came. As a result, Tsarukyan is now focusing on honing his wrestling skills while waiting for the UFC’s next move. Recently, Ilia Topuria spoke with Adin Ross and shared his perspective on a potential fight against Tsarukyan.

“[Arman Tsarukyan is] my toughest challenge? No way,” Ilia Topuria said. “I’ve already had my toughest challenges… he lost to Islam. He lost to Gamrot. He got knocked out in the beginning of his career. And he doesn’t really have the ability to finish the fight. He only finishes the fights when his opponent gets tired, and he just goes on the ground and does the ground and pound and all that.”

Despite Topuria’s confidence in his striking and experience, the question remains: can he stop Arman Tsarukyan, the dark horse whose wrestling ranks among the best in the sport? Either way, share your thoughts below.