Maybe Paulo Costa was onto something… In an interview with Michael Bisping on The Count’s Youtube Channel, Ilia Topuria shared a rather unusual weight cutting protocol – drinking 500mL of wine.
“I drink half a liter of wine… I get VERY buzzed, and I have such a great time with everyone. We change the atmosphere. We don’t think about the fight. We just celebrate. I go to sleep like a baby. I wake up the next morning two pounds less because of the dehydration.”
Bisping reminded the audience how unusual such a habit is, “normally, as you probably know, when fighters are cutting weight it’s the most miserable time. Everyone is mad. They’re hungry. They’re miserable. The fighter is dying… In your room, it’s a f*cking party!”
Topuria claims to shake off any adverse effects of the alcohol without a problem but was quick to point out that this isn’t a strategy that he endorses for anyone else. We’ll see if this is a strategy that he continues to employ into his thirties…
Imbibing aside, Topuria behaved like a veteran throughout the interview. Highly complimentary of his opponent, Alexander Volkanovski, yet supremely confident in his own skillset, Topuria looks like champion material heading into the weekend.
What do you think of Topuria’s pre-fight drinking routine? Do you really think The Count will attend as promised?
