Ilia Topuria was already caught up in a strange news cycle—withdrawing from an early 2026 competition, rumors of a “personal matter,” and fans seeing Instagram posts disappearing—when his situation was thrust into the forefront by The Joe Rogan Experience. What began as a debate about matches and possible superfights strayed off course when Joe Rogan and his guest Derek began speculating about Topuria’s marriage rather than his career.

It was not malevolent, but it was revealing. Derek from More Plates More Dates hinted that the timing “felt odd,” and Rogan said he had no idea what happened to Topuria’s marriage. A rumor that had previously circulated on Reddit threads and TikTok edits was now being repeated on the world’s most popular podcast. The twist? It all started with a small moment months ago, when a friendly Miami joke during a Nelk Boys training session visibly disturbed Ilia on camera.

Joe Rogan’s guest adds fuel to the Miami theory

Derek did not hide his concern. “Hopefully he doesn’t let his personal s— derail whatever is happening,” he said. Joe Rogan agreed, unaware of what exactly was unfolding, as Derek dropped the piece that sparked the MMA world’s attention: the allegation that this “difficult moment” Topuria posted about can be traced back to a Miami comment made to him during that Nelk collaboration.

Derek stated that the timing felt odd. During Topuria’s NELK training, one of the boys made a joke: “Who says you can’t meet your wife in Miami?” Ilia, after mentioning he met Giorgina there, froze. His smile disappeared. “Why are you saying that?” he asked, all serious. The NELK boys scrambled—“Everyone says that”—but Ilia didn’t let it go.

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“Because you go to the party, and that’s the only part you see,” he snapped. “There’s another Miami where people actually work.” Then he walked off, definitely furious. Joe Rogan and Derek just revisited that brief moment—the uncertainty, the defensive tone, and the walk-off—but through a new lens: the divorce rumors. Derek implied that Ilia had taken the Miami insult to heart.

A claim that even surprised the UFC commentator, as he further added on the podcast: “Oh god. I didn’t know he met her in Miami.” He even joked that Miami should have its own passport due to the party lifestyle, but the tone was genuine interest mixed with concern for a winner who was obviously struggling with something serious behind the scenes.

And the reality is this: ‘El Matador’ already announced that he will not fight in the first quarter of 2026, citing a “difficult moment” and a desire to focus on his two children. Fans instantly linked the dots when couple photos mysteriously disappeared from both Topuria’s and Giorgina’s Instagrams.

While none of this completely confirms anything, as Topuria has not shared anything about a divorce, the Rogan episode surely gave the rumor a level of attention it never had before. But as the JRE host gets busy with his theories and speculations, former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has also shared his take on the situation surrounding Ilia Topuria.

Sean O’Malley’s take on Ilia Topuria’s divorce rumors

While Joe Rogan is busy sending Ilia Topuria rumors into overdrive, Sean O’Malley couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to. He’s in the middle of preparing for UFC 324, but the questions kept coming, and instead of avoiding them, he handled the situation with honesty and care. He didn’t pretend to know the specifics, only that the timing made sense: if Ilia Topuria is indeed struggling with personal issues, stepping aside in early 2026 was probably unavoidable.

O’Malley sympathized more than he speculated. “That sucks. And it’s all public, which makes it even worse,” he said, emphasizing that no fighter wants to deal with family issues while at camp. He even stated he wouldn’t blame ‘El Matador’ if the chaos hampered negotiations: “Is that why he pulled out? That’s why he didn’t book a fight.” For a moment, it didn’t sound like ‘Suga,’ the showman—just someone who understands how much more difficult things become when children are involved.

Nonetheless, he kept the conversation spiraling into drama. He joked about how even the phrase “hope you’re doing well” may be misinterpreted online, but his message was clear: this isn’t something he’d wish on anyone. Despite everything, he wants Ilia Topuria to return soon, even suggesting matchups he’d love to watch. But, with UFC 324 approaching, O’Malley made it clear: he can’t let someone else’s insanity flow into his own camp, not with everything he already has to deal with inside the cage.