Ilia Topuria dismisses training MMA as a whole, explains trying to "learn every discipline separately" on JRE podcast

Ilia Topuria recently shared his reasoning for training each discipline individually rather than adopting a traditional all-in-one approach to mixed martial arts. The former UFC featherweight champion is regarded as one of the most well-rounded fighters in MMA today.

During his appearance on the JRE MMA Show, Joe Rogan inquired about Topuria's training routine when he's not in fight camp. To the podcaster's surprise, 'La Leyenda' explained that he practices each discipline, such as boxing, wrestling, and others, individually, rather than training MMA as a unified system:

"I try to develop my skill set in every discipline. Like, I try not to mix it up. I don't train MMA at all. I do boxing classes and wrestling classes. I try to learn every discipline separately... Because when the training camp comes, I try to mix it up and polish everything that I have been able to learn till that moment. Everything that worked for me in wrestling and boxing in the places where I feel comfortable... I want to get better all the time."

Topuria further explained that his goal is to excel in every aspect of the sport, constantly learning new techniques, rather than repeatedly training the same skills over and over:

"If I only go and train MMA and I only drill the same things all the time, my head is like getting stuck. I need to learn new techniques because I think that I have much more to learn in every discipline."

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (1:31:10):

'La Leyenda' was last seen in action at UFC 308 in October, where he defeated Max Holloway by knockout to successfully retain his title. Topuria has since vacated the 145-pound belt to make a permanent move up to the lightweight division.

The undefeated Spaniard is now targeting a title bout against reigning champion Islam Makhachev, though the fight seems to be a distant prospect for now.

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When Joe Rogan praised Ilia Topuria's pad work and compared it to Floyd Mayweather’s

In an August 2024 episode of his podcast with American neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, Joe Rogan reviewed a training video of Ilia Topuria working the mitts. The UFC commentator was deeply impressed by the undefeated Spaniard’s flawless punching technique:

"One of the things that is phenomenal about him is his technique. His technique is perfect. There’s no fat in his technique. There’s no wasted movements, so when an opportunity presents itself, everything is so fast because the technique is so streamlined."

Rogan went on to draw comparisons between Topuria's hand speed and style, highlighting similarities to the flawless skills of boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.

Check out Joe Rogan's comments below (59:40):