UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria broke his silence regarding his decision to step away from defending his title in a strongly worded statement.Rumors had been doing the rounds of trouble between Topuria and his partner. However, nothing official had been said regarding the pair.Topuria did post a few weeks back that he was dealing with personal issues and was taking time off to deal with those.‘El Matador’ shed some light on these issues with a statement on his official Instagram account. Topuria, in the statement, claimed that it was a difficult decision for him to step aside from defending his title. However, he had to address these allegations since they were threatening his integrity.The champion added:“In recent months, I have been subjected to severe and unacceptable pressure, including threats to disseminate false allegations of domestic abuse unless financial demands are met. These allegations are entirely unfounded. The truth is not a matter of opinion - it is a matter of evidence.”Topuria added that evidence and the threats levelled against him have been submitted to judicial officials, after which legal action would be taken. He also explained why he chose to speak out:“My initial decision to remain silent was made solely to protect my children, who are the most important part of my life. However, I have come to understand that silence, under these circumstances, does not protect the truth - it allows false narratives to take hold.”Topuria added that several individuals have dealt with “similar situations” and he was stepping forward not to bow down to intimidation. He believed the judicial process would lead to the truth and wanted the legal system to “determine the facts based on evidence.”Topuria ended his statement by adding that he would not be speaking anymore about these issues in the future. He asked that his family’s privacy be honored by all parties.Here is Ilia Topuria’s complete statement below: View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMax Holloway reacts to Ilia Topuria’s tough timeCurrent UFC BMF champion Max Holloway was one of the stars to come out in support of Ilia Topuria.Topuria had confirmed that he was not going to fight in the first quarter of 2026 due to personal issues. Holloway offered his wishes to ‘El Matador’ and he hoped the best for his family:"Sorry to hear, champ. If it’s what I’m hearing it is I know the struggle first hand trying to fight while protecting your kids. Hope all goes well."