Ilia Topuria has parted ways with his long-time coaches, Jorge and Agustin Climent, marking a significant change ahead of one of the biggest fights of his career.
The former UFC featherweight champion will no longer train at Climent Club in Alicante, Spain, where he has spent his entire professional career under the guidance of the Climent brothers. The news was first reported by Spanish media outlet Marca and later confirmed by MMA Junkie.
The split comes as Topuria prepares to headline UFC 317 during this year’s International Fight Week, where he is set to face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound title.
Topuria has worked with the Climent brothers since his teenage years. However, his rise to stardom and increasing media obligations prompted a move to Madrid — a four-hour drive from Alicante. For his most recent bout, a UFC featherweight title defence against Max Holloway, Topuria trained in Madrid while his coaches frequently travelled between the two cities.
The break also affects his older brother, Aleksandre Topuria, who competes in the UFC bantamweight division. He too will no longer be training at Climent Club.
Widely regarded as one of MMA’s brightest talents, Topuria remains undefeated in his career. He made his mark in the sport with consecutive knockout victories over featherweight legends Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski to win and defend the UFC featherweight title.
As he now looks to become a two-division champion, Topuria will embark on the next chapter of his career without the coaches who helped build his foundation — setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown at UFC 317.