Montirex signs sponsorship deal with unbeaten UFC champion Ilia Topuria

Liverpool-based sportswear brand Montirex has signed an exclusive long-term sponsorship deal with undefeated UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, who also fronts the brand’s new global campaign, launching today.

As part of the deal, Topuria, who has 14.5 million followers on Instagram alone, will wear Montirex products during his training for all upcoming fights, starting with UFC Freedom 250 in June. It marks the most significant athlete partnership for Montirex to date.

The Georgian-born Topuria, who was raised in Spain, is “on the brink of an 18-0 professional record”. He overcame displacement, conflict, and the “near-impossible odds of the MMA pathway” to become a two-weight champion.

Montirex was founded in Liverpool by lifelong friends Daniel Yuen and Kieran Riddell-Austin in 2019. Yuen said: “For us, there wasn’t even a second thought about partnering with Ilia. Not only is he at the top of his game in the MMA world, but the graft and hard work he puts into every fight reflects our journey at Montirex, too.

“We hope that this partnership will make a powerful statement not only in the sport, but to the aspiring athletes embarking on their own journey.”

Topuria added: “I’m glad to have a brand like Montirex in my corner. Their vision and commitment to reaching the very top really align with who I am as an athlete and as a person. The brand is on a journey upward and I’m proud to represent them and everything it stands for.”

The partnership is the latest signing in Montirex’s long-term commitment to all aspects of combat sports. The brand has consistently backed fighters and their communities at every level, with the announcement of Topuria being the latest extension of that.

By combining Topuria's performance demands at the sport's highest level with Montirex's ongoing product development, the partnership will directly inform apparel “built to work for elite competitors and everyday athletes alike”.

The new Montirex campaign includes a film directed by Alexis Belhumeur that traces Topuria’s journey through signature playing cards, each representing a distinct era of his career, from early underdog to his fighting identity as ‘El Matador’.

The film also references one of the more distinctive details of Topuria’s post-fight ritual: leaving a single rose in the octagon after each victory as a mark of respect to his opponent.