UFC Champ Ilia Topuria Extends Support for Gaza

Ilia Topuria wants the Israel-Palestine conflict to stop. 

During a recent event organized by the Nueva Economia Forum, Topuria was asked if Israeli athletes should be banned from international sporting events until the conflict stops. While Topuria carefully dodged the question, the UFC lightweight champ expressed his support for the war-torn Gaza.

"The truth is you can never support that kind of cause,” Topuria said. “We never want anyone to die in the world, quite the opposite. We always want nobody to lack anything, that everyone has water to drink, bread to eat. And honestly, from here we send all our support to the families in Gaza, we stand with you. If I had the chance to do something, I would stop that war right now because I don't accept it.”

Ilia Topuria shows support for the people in Gaza 🇵🇸❤️

"The truth is you can never support that kind of cause. We never want anyone to die in the world. We always want nobody to lack anything, that everyone has water to drink, bread to eat.

And honestly, from here we send all… pic.twitter.com/Kq2zY7Zek1

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 16, 2025

Conflict Has Reached Topuria’s Home Country

While Topuria was born in Georgia, he has long been a citizen of Spain, which has become entangled in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Pro-Palestine supporters recently disrupted the Vuelta cycling race in Madrid at several stages. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez subsequently called for a ban on Israeli athletes from all international sporting events. Meanwhile, Spanish Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar disagreed with Sanchez, calling him a “antisemite and a liar.”