Ilia Topuria learned a valuable lesson in his brutal loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. It's a lesson he shared with his son, Hugo, in Topuria's first post since losing his lightweight title at the White House.
Topuria has not spoken publicly since the shocking conclusion of their June 6 fight, where Topuria stumbled as a massive favorite. On Friday, he published a video that he narrated. In the video, he wrote a letter to his son reflecting on the Gaethje fight.
"Hugo, I've been thinking about you these past two days," Topuria said. "About what you felt when you saw me go down. I know it hurt you, and as your dad, I would've done anything to spare you from that moment. But I'm also glad we went through it together because that day made us both stronger."
Topuria had never lost before this year. In fact, he had finished nearly everyone he'd fought in 17 fights over a decade. Topuria suffered non-displaced fractures in both orbital bones, according to Spanish media outlet Marca, in his loss to Gaethje. The outcome taught him that a champion isn't defined by everything that goes right. It's how a champion responds to failure that really matters.
"I want you to always remember one thing: you won't always win in life, and that's OK, because losing isn't what matters," Topuria said. "What matters is how you lose, who you choose to be when everything goes dark. When you have to choose between staying on the ground and getting back up.
"I think God wanted me to go through that moment to teach me something no victory ever could. Character doesn't show up when everything's going your way. It shows up when life throws its hardest day at you, and you know what I found? After going through that hell, I'm stronger than I was before, because a champion isn't someone who never falls. It's someone who always finds a reason to get back up.
"That's all I want for you. Not that you always win, but that you're never afraid to lose. That no defeat ever gets to tell you who you are. Only you get to decide that, and no matter what happens, always remember this: Character is the one victory no one can ever take away from you."
