There is no denying that Ilia Topuria is one of the hottest property in the UFC business at the moment. The Spaniard, who is an ardent Real Madrid supporter, knocked out BMF champion Max Holloway to retain the featherweight gold at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi a week ago. It was historic as Holloway, who secured a sensational knockout win against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, met with a similar fate, marking the first knockout defeat of his career. Ahead of the fight Topuria had vowed to knockout Holloway and he got the job done in the third round.
Topuria is now expected to take on former champion Alexander Volkonovski next, an opponent whom he defeated at UFC 298 to win the featherweight gold. The champion mentioned the idea of a rematch after beating Holloway. While this is still relatively new, a new video is doing rounds on social media, where ex-Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo can be heard calling Topuria a fighter that "speaks too much". The video was shared ahead of UFC 308 and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou can be seen seated next to Ronaldo.
The video, however, didn't go well with Topuria, who didn't mince words while reacting to it. Taking shots at Ronaldo, the Spaniard reacted: "I didn't expect someone like you to be unable to distinguish between confidence and arrogance. But, at the end of the day, we all reflect our own reality onto others. I wish you the best for what remains of your career, and God bless your family."
So this shows that Topuria has already started rolling eye balls even beyond the Octagon. Moneycontrol got in touch with UFC heavyweight fighter Derrick Lewis and during the interaction over a Zoom call asked the knockout specialist to share his thought on Topuria. Acknowledging Topuria's rise in the featherweight division, Lewis said: "I'm glad that he's not in my division. They (featherweight fighters) have to deal with that guy, I'm glad I don't."
Sony Sports Network is the official broadcaster for UFC in India.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
