Yuza Kereselidze, grandfather of Ilia and Alexander Topuria, shared memories of the brothers' upbringing. He described how Ilia showed determination from age five, riding 20-30 kilometers on a bicycle without wanting rest. Alexander was known for helping other children who couldn't climb fences, even stealing lemonade for them while never tasting sweets himself. Yuza recalled that young Ilia was passionate about Georgia and would hide car keys from visitors, begging them to take him back to his country. When Ilia won the championship belt, his grandfather hosted a celebration in Rustavi, inviting everyone passing by to toast his grandson. The family lived in Rustavi after moving from Germany, where the grandfather taught the boys to value hard work.
Yuza Kereselidze, grandfather of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and his brother Alexander, has opened up about the two fighters' formative years growing up in Georgia, sharing vivid memories of the determination and character both boys displayed from an early age.
Ilia, now ranked number one pound-for-pound in the UFC and sitting second in the lightweight division with a record of 17 wins and one loss, showed relentless drive well before he ever stepped into a cage. Kereselidze recalled that at just five years old, Ilia would ride a bicycle 20 to 30 kilometers without asking for rest. The 29-year-old, who stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and competes out of Climent Club in Spain, also developed a fierce love for his Georgian roots early in life, reportedly hiding car keys from visiting guests and pleading with them to take him back to his home country.
Alexander, meanwhile, was remembered as a selfless child who would help other kids scale fences and even sourced lemonade for those around him, never indulging in sweets himself.
The family relocated to Rustavi after a period in Germany, where their grandfather made a point of instilling the value of hard work in both boys. When Ilia eventually claimed a championship belt, Kereselidze marked the moment by throwing open the doors of his home and inviting everyone passing through Rustavi to join the celebration.
Why it matters
- The story offers rare personal insight into Topuria's upbringing and the family environment that shaped him
- Ilia's early passion for Georgia adds cultural context to a career that has made him a national hero
- With Topuria now the UFC's top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, his grandfather's account underscores how deeply rooted his competitive drive has always been
