A few weeks ago, Jake Paul clowned Ilia Topuria about his earnings as a mixed martial artist. During their exchange on Sneako’s stream, Paul even took a dig at Ilia Topuria’s watch. Little did ‘El Gallo’ know that Topuria was sitting on a first-of-its-kind deal with a billion-dollar brand.

Topuria’s star power has been rising outside the Octagon at an unprecedented pace. Just days after the announcement that ‘El Matador’ will be headlining the historic UFC White House event, the lightweight champion has announced a massive endorsement deal with luxury watch brand Richard Mille, a company valued at over $1.5 billion or 1.3 billion Swiss francs.

The announcement came through a cinematic promo released by the brand, which showed Topuria training while narrating his journey from boyhood to UFC world champion.

“Discipline defines @iliatopuria, the new Richard Mille partner,” the brand wrote in the caption. “He combines an elite mindset, built on composed emotional control, with a powerful fighting style that has defined his identity and taken him to the very top of the sport. A rise in power that serves a single purpose: self-happiness.”

In the voiceover for the promo, ‘El Matador’ spoke about his early struggles and the mindset that drove his career.

“I’m a professional athlete, a dreamer, and a normal person; at least this is how I consider myself,” he said. “When I was eight years old, my parents had to leave me and my brothers to come to Europe to find a better future for us. The difficult moments gave me the maturity that I feel that I have today.

“Every time that I doubt something, the only thing to keep it away is to work hard, to give the answers to the doubts. The thing that I want to achieve in this life, in reality, is happiness. No one said it would be easy.”

Ilia Topuria is the first fighter from combat sports to join the Richard Mille brand, which has previously included stars from Formula One (Charles LeClerc and Lando Norris), tennis (Rafael Nadal), and golf (Bubba Watson).

“Ilia is the first combat sports star to partner with Richard Mille,” the brand said after the deal. “The 29-year-old fighter’s quiet precision matches the brand’s understated technicality.”

Ilia Topuria, too, couldn’t help but show his excitement about being a part of this massive partnership.

“I feel a lot of pride, because it’s huge—not only for me but for the entire fighting world,” Topuria said.

Topuria joins fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in Richard Mille’s collection. The Swiss brand’s collaboration with the ‘King of Clay’ has produced at least five limited edition models between 2010 and 2024. The idea behind those models was a watch that Nadal could wear like a ‘Second Skin’, allowing full freedom of movement. So, don’t be surprised if they come up with something groundbreaking for the hard-hitting Georgian-Spaniard.

The timing of the deal is also noteworthy, as ‘El Matador’ is preparing for one of his most crucial fights yet. The Spaniard is set to headline the UFC White House event in June, where he will face Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification fight.

With the promotion positioning the card as one of the most important shows in its promotional history, Ilia Topuria’s new partnership only strengthens his position as one of the sport’s top names today. However, some feel the main event fight would only put a dent in his career. Why? Because to them, it feels a bit too one-sided. But fret not, as Arman Tsarukyan has offered a solution.

Arman Tsarukyan’s master plan on making the UFC White House main event a competitive one

Not everyone believes that Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje will be as competitive as the UFC hopes. Some believe the champion has been overly dominant recently, and Arman Tsarukyan is one of those fighters who believe the clash will be one-sided despite the anticipation surrounding the White House card.

The No. 2-ranked lightweight claimed a few weeks ago that he doesn’t think Justin Gaethje would have much success against Ilia Topuria and even offered a strategy to make the bout more exciting. ‘Ahalkalakets’ joked that Gaethje should withdraw from the bout so that he could step in, claiming that a title fight between him and ‘El Matador’ would be significantly more competitive.

“I would recommend him to get injured during his camp and let me step up and get the title,” Tsarukyan told Red Corner MMA. “After that, he can fight me.”

Arman Tsarukyan has been demanding a title shot for months and has become furious after missing out on several huge opportunities. He even made weight as a backup for a previous title battle, but it didn’t help him get closer to the belt. With the White House event approaching without his name on the card, his words prove that he still believes he should compete for the title, even if it means waiting for a last-minute change.