During the COVID era, when the world was grappling with the pandemic, a young fighter from Georgia named Ilia Topuria, boasting a seven-fight undefeated streak, began his journey in the UFC, aspiring to become like his idol Conor McGregor. He received an offer to fight Youssef Zalal at a UFC Fight Night event on short notice—an opportunity he couldn’t decline, where ‘El Matador’ lived up to his credentials by securing a unanimous decision victory against his opponent.

However, no one anticipated that within less than four years of his journey in the promotion, Ilia Topuria would achieve his goal of becoming a champion in the featherweight division by defeating the formidable Alexander Volkanovski, earlier this year at UFC 298.

Since that day, Ilia Topuria has been on a break, proudly displaying his belt in Spain, which has left fans buzzing with questions about whom ‘El Matador’ truly represents—Georgia or Spain? Well, we dug into the mystery, so without wasting time, let’s explore the national background of Ilia Topuria.

What is Ilia Topuria’s ethnicity? Is he Georgian?

Ilia Topuria, like a few fellow Eurasian fighters in the UFC, is a victim of war. His parents are Georgian natives from Abkhazia, a disputed region of Georgia that is recognized as an independent country by only a few nations, including Russia. The area has a history of conflict during which many Georgians were massacred, prompting Topuria’s parents to flee to Germany, where Ilia was born.

However, when ‘El Matador’ was around seven, his parents returned to Georgia, where he began training in Greco-Roman wrestling. A few years later, they relocated to Alicante, Spain, seeking improved opportunities. It was in Spain that Topuria entered the professional MMA scene through regional circuits.

When asked about his nationality in a candid interview, Ilia Topuria expressed, “I became a man in Spain. I found my friends, my life, and my passion in Spain. My wife is Spanish, and my son too… you cut me, and my blood is Georgian, but my heart is Spanish.” This statement helps clarify any doubts about ‘El Matador’s’ ethnicity. Now, let’s move forward and explore why Ilia Topuria represents Spain.

Why does Ilia Topuria represent Spain?

Ilia Topuria has been residing in Spain for over a decade, making him legally eligible for citizenship. Earlier this year, the Minister of Education and Sports of Spain announced at a press conference that, following a meeting with ‘El Matador’, the President of the Government expressed his support for ‘El Matador’s’ citizenship application. After many requests, the Council of Ministers officially recognized Topuria’s citizenship shortly after he became the UFC featherweight champion.

With this new citizenship, Topuria’s Georgian citizenship was at risk of being revoked. However, recognizing Topuria’s accomplishments, the Georgian parliament made changes to allow him to retain his Georgian citizenship, despite there being no bilateral agreement between the two countries. This scenario underscores how an athlete can bridge gaps between nations and inspire legislative changes.

With his dual citizenship status, Ilia Topuria can represent either of the two nations he wants. However, his focus will be on the highly anticipated UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, where ‘El Matador’ is set to defend his featherweight title for the first time against Max Holloway. Fans eagerly await to see if he can successfully retain his championship. Who will you be rooting for—Topuria or Holloway? Drop your opinion below.