Ilia Topuria met legendary football Lionel Messi.
The newly minted UFC featherweight champion had the chance to meet and take a few pics with the soccer superstar and World Cup winner during Inter Miami’s home game against Colorado on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Topuria, who is a massive fan of Real Madrid, had nothing, but great things to say about the Olympic gold medalist.
“With one of the biggest legends in the history of sports,” Topuria wrote on Instagram. “He’s a great example for me and a role model for everyone.”
Ilia Topuria claimed the 145-pound crown with an earth-shattering second-round knockout of ‘The Great’ Alexander Volkanovski in February, extending his unbeaten streak in mixed martial arts to 15-0.
Who could challenge ilia topuria in Spain?
Immediately following his win, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the promotion would head to Spain for the first time in promotional history. No official details have been announced, but White and Topuria have expressed interest in holding an event at Santiago Bernabéu, an 83,000-seat stadium that has been the home of Real Madrid since 1947.
Topuria has been pushing hard for a fight with Irish megastar Conor McGregor, though there are plenty of fresh matchups for the 27-year-old at the top of the featherweight division — most notably Max Holloway who is days away from a BMF title fight with Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and Brian Ortega, who is coming off a big win over former interim champ Yair Rodriguez in February.
