The Spanish-Georgian UFC champion Ilia Topuria has taken aim at all-time great footballer Cristiano Ronaldo in a recent online rant.
Ilia Topuria Slams Cristiano Ronaldo
Ilia Topuria captured the UFC featherweight crown earlier this year with a knockout against top-ranked pound-for-pound athlete Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski. ‘El Matador’ then defended his title against the highly skilled Max Holloway with another knockout victory.
But professional Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, of Portugal, picked against Ilia Topuria heading into the match. Ronaldo enjoyed Francis Ngannou’s PFL world title victory and spent time with the Cameroonian athlete backstage. There, the football star said: “[Topuria] speaks too much… I think when he [beat] Volk, Volk wasn’t [ready] because of that kick… [Topuria] didn’t fight with the top guys. If he beats Max, I will respect.”
In response to Cristiano Ronaldo, on X, Ilia Topuria Tweeted: “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.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s football career is remarkable. Starting at Sporting CP in Portugal, he moved to Manchester United in 2003, where he became a global superstar, before joining Real Madrid in 2009 for a then-record transfer fee. At Real Madrid, he cemented his status as one of the greatest players of all time, winning numerous titles and individual awards, before moving to Juventus in 2018 and later returning to Manchester United in 2021. He now plays in Saudi Arabia with the Pro League club Al Nassr.