Jorge Climent has become well-known to fans for all the right reasons, as he trained Ilia Topuria, who became the first-ever Spanish UFC champion. Although it may seem like MMA is an individual sport, it actually involves a team of people working together to help athletes fight on the biggest stage. So drawing a parallel between Climent and Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s influence on Islam Makhachev is entirely reasonable. The buzz surrounding the duo is at an all-time high, as they’ve made history and achieved a long-held dream. As fight fans learn more about Topuria, it’s also really interesting to know more about the one who shaped him into a champion- Jorge Climent.
Climent has had an inspiring journey from his MMA training in Argentina to his move to Spain. From having very little MMA scene in Spain to sparking a passion for the sport and inspiring young talents like Topuria to pursue MMA as a professional career, Jorge has come a long way. Recently, during an exclusive interview with The SportsRush, Climent shared many stories about his journey, from his beginnings to his working experience with Topuria.
Jorge Climent Pioneering MMA in Spain
Climent, now settled in Spain, was originally born in Argentina. Subsequently, in 2002, with his brother Agustin Climent, he landed in Spain. Talking about it, he mentioned that during that time, he came with nothing but some money and martial arts training. Both brothers had been learning jiu-jitsu and had achieved a purple belt before moving to Spain. However, after they spent some time in Spain, they found that, unlike Argentina, MMA didn’t exist in Spain. In his words,
“We came (in Spain) with Jiu-jitsu purple belt and we used to fight MMA but when we came here MMA and Jiu Jitsu nothing existed. We are like pioneers.”
There was no MMA scene in the country, so he and his brother were the first to spark the buzz. They worked hard with little money, giving training in many places. Unfortunately, amidst all the hustle, Climent had a motorcycle accident and underwent 16 surgeries. After the accident, he used the compensation money to create his first gym, The Climent Club, which was the beginning of MMA in Spain. And soon, Jorge crossed paths with two little kids- Ilia & Aleksandre Topuria.
Jorge Climent Began Training Aleksandre and Ilia Topuria at Age 15
After opening the Climent Club, the Topuria brothers, at the age of 15, who came from Georgia, started getting trained under the guidance of the Climent brothers. Despite not knowing anything about Jiu Jitsu, the Topurias were trained in Greco-Roman wrestling. After Climent started training them, the Topurias fell in love with the sport of MMA.
The training with Climent impacted them so much that they requested their parents to allow them to leave school and just train at the Climent Club. Fast forward to now, Climent has helped both of them to condition themselves to fight at the biggest MMA Promotion. However, their road to greatness was not devoid of steep challenges.
UFC 298 Fight Camp Challenge
Every fight camp faces its own challenges, and this was no different for UFC 298. While Climent and his team usually held Topuria’s fight camp at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas, this time they opted to train in their own gym. However, this decision brought about new challenges. With a growing number of fans in Spain, many would enter the gym to take photos, disturbing the training.
However, thanks to the team’s dedication, they remained focused on their training and ignored the disturbances. They trained three times a day without fail, which made the fight camp successful. Now, such a strenuous routine might have a negative impact on the mind and body. Thus, it is really important to keep oneself motivated.
How does Climent keep himself motivated?
The relentless work that a fighter and his team does being at the top tier is unthinkable for an average human being. On top of that, dealing with media discussions, strategizing, and constant work can utterly tiring. However, Climent has a mantra that he uses to stay motivated and avoid feeling demotivated at work. Talking about it, he stated,
“If you want something, you really need to do it. You can’t relax when you are going to work.”
Climent mentioned that it happens to him all the time, but to achieve his goals, he puts in extra effort. That’s his secret to keep going on days of demotivation. And with that work ethic, Jorge has his dreams fulfilled- he now has the first UFC champion from Spain as his student. Surely, Jorge Climent sits right up on the list with the likes of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov and Dave Lovell.
Jorge Climent joins the rank of Dave Lovell, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov and others
Spotting the right talent at the right time is something that, as a coach, is really important and Climent didn’t miss it. Just like Dave Lovell coached Leon Edwards to a championship and Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov trained Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and others, Climent also deserves credit for molding a raw talent like Topuria into an undefeated champion who upset the legendary Alexander Volkanovski.
Thus, it’s safe to say that Topuria’s father’s decision to entrust his child to Climent and withdraw him from school turned out to be correct. While Ilia Topuria is now an inspiration to many, the big question is how will Aleksandre’s career shape up? And, it’ll be interesting to see how Climent keeps the Topuria brothers on track. With the progress made so far, it is safe to say we might see another champ from Spain really soon.
