Jon Jones: Ilia Topuria reveals Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson war changed his life

Ilia Topuria reveals Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson war changed his life

Modified Apr 11, 2025 19:26 GMT

Ilia Topuria details being inspired by the Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson encounter. [Image Courtesy: Getty Images, @ufcespanol on YouTube]] — Ilia Topuria details being inspired by the Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson encounter. [Image courtesy: Getty Images and @ufcespanol on YouTube]]

Ilia Topuria recently revealed how the legendary UFC 165 fight between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson in 2013 inspired him to take his game to the next level. Despite 'Bones' emerging as the victor of the encounter, Topuria chose to follow Gustafsson's way.

Topuria spent quite some time talking about his choices during his recent appearance in an episode of the PBD Podcast.

The Spaniard detailed how he left his home country to join Gustafsson's training facility, the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden, after being motivated by the resistance he showcased against Jones. Topuria stated:

"I started to talk to myself. I’m like, ‘What can I do [to get to the next level in pro-MMA]. At that point, Alexander Gustafsson was fighting for the light heavyweight title against Jon Jones. That guy was training in Sweden, in the Allstars gym. And that was the most recognized gym in Europe, and I’m like, ‘I have to go there’... and I know that someone’s gonna see me [notice me]. And the only thing I need is opportunity."

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below:

Expand Tweet

Ilia Topuria manifests submitting Islam Makhachev in front of Khabib Nurmagomedov

Ilia Topuria is currently hunting for a lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev after relinquishing his featherweight title in February. However, the reigning lightweight champ has turned his offer down multiple times.

Topuria has also fired multiple shots at Makhachev for neglecting his callouts. The former featherweight champion recently jibed at Makhachev during the aforementioned episode of the PBD Podcast. Topuria expressed his desire to submit Makhachev in front of his mentor and friend, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

"I take him close to Khabib. I will submit him closer to Khabib... Khabib used to take people on his shoulders, take them down and talk to Dana. I will take [Makhachev down] and talk to Khabib, 'Khabib, I have to do it.'"

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (55:14):

About the author

Souvik took up writing as his profession in 2019 and has worked for various publications, including EssentiallySports and The SportsRush since then.
While he holds a diploma in electrical engineering, Souvik’s love for combat sports and the written word has ensured a seamless transition to his current profession.
As of the UFC, Dustin Poirier is his favorite fighter. 'The Diamond's' respectful attitude in a trash-talk-heavy sport makes Souvik root for him. Poirier's five-round war against Dan Hooker in June 2020 is his all-time favorite MMA scrap to date.
Furthermore, he is of the opinion that MMA has taken over boxing as the world’s top combat sport due to the regularity of events.
Coming to his writing, Souvik will do everything to ensure that his pieces are informative and relevant, which is perhaps why one of his articles is still the most viewed in the MMA division of EssentiallySports.
Souvik’s other interests include singing (he’s a frontman for a rock band in Kolkata), playing guitar, and watching documentaries.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Tejas Rathi