UFC commentator and former champion Daniel Cormier made surprising assertions about the financial backgrounds of two top UFC contenders in a recent podcast video. However, his claims appear to conflict with documented accounts of their upbringings.
Speaking candidly about featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, Cormier expressed surprise at the fighter’s apparent wealth, specifically mentioning “his $2 million gem that he has in his house.”
“I go, well, man, now you might have money after these two wins. But before, I’m like, how do you have so much money?” Cormier recalled asking. “Come to find out, Ilia got family money. Ilia rich.”
However, this characterization seems to contradict Topuria’s well-documented life story. Born in Germany to Georgian parents, Topuria’s family actually relocated to Spain when he was 15 due to economic hardship, not privilege. Far from inheriting wealth, Topuria made the significant decision to drop out of school at that age to pursue mixed martial arts full-time.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Topuria revealed it was his dedication to training, not family resources, that propelled his career forward: “I left the school when I was 15 years old. I went with my brother to talk to my father and we told him, ‘Hey dad, we don’t want to go to school anymore but we really want to train.'”
Cormier similarly suggested that lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan comes from money, noting he observed Tsarukyan “housing $1,000 a bite of caviar.”
The commentator seemed fascinated by the notion of wealthy individuals competing in the octagon. “Could you imagine two rich dudes fighting for a UFC title? Two rich dudes that didn’t get their money in fighting would be the craziest thing because rich dudes don’t fight,” Cormier remarked.
Ilia Topuria comes from an immigrant family but he is married to Giorgina Uzcategui Badell, a successful businesswoman with a background in marketing and real estate. A graduate of Miami Dade College and Suffolk University, Badell has held roles ranging from social media influencer to CEO of Future & Energy. Baddell’s father plays a prominent role in the family. It is believed they have significant family wealth.
The couple met during a dinner, a moment Topuria called “one of the greatest gifts God has given me.” Despite keeping much of their relationship private, they’ve built a family together, welcoming their son Hugo in 2019 and a daughter in 2024. Badell also maintains a strong social media presence with over 684,000 Instagram followers.
While Topuria’s financial situation may have improved dramatically since becoming champion, the narrative of “family money” appears to be a mischaracterization. His journey from a family that relocated for economic opportunity to UFC gold is due to years of dedicated training.
