Tag: ilia topuria

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria to take honorary kick-off at Real Madrid vs. Sevilla match at the Bernabeu

Ilia Topuria at Santiago BernabeuIlia Topuria will present his UFC featherweight world championship in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu…

Ilia Topuria at Santiago Bernabeu

Ilia Topuria will present his UFC featherweight world championship in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 25.

Following his shocking second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski in the UFC 298 main event, ‘El Matador’ received a hero’s welcome upon his return to the country he calls home — Spain.

On Sunday, Topuria will be in attendance for the massive football match between Real Madrid and Sevilla, featuring the return of football royalty Sergio Ramos. While inside Spain’s iconic 80,000-seat stadium, Topuria will introduce his UFC championship belt and take the honorary kick-off. Topuria confirmed the news at a press conference held upon his arrival in the country on Thursday.

Ilia Topuria Is bringing the UFC to spain

Even before he shocked the world in Anaheim, Ilia Topuria was already dreaming big, letting it be known that he hopes to one day bring the UFC to the Santiago Bernabeu for a showdown with one of the biggest stars to ever step inside the Octagon — Conor McGregor.

“If it was my decision, I’d fight Conor McGregor,” Topuria said when asked at the UFC 298 media day who he’d like to face at the Bernabeu. “That would be the fight I’d aim for, and that’s what I aim for.”

With his sensational performance against ‘The Great,’ Topuria took a giant step toward making that a reality. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed at the UFC 298 post-fight press event that the promotion would be heading to Spain.

“Yeah, we are definitely going to Spain,” White told reporters. “Who he is going to face, we don’t know yet. I have a lot of respect for Volkanovski; we will see how that plays out. But as long as there’s a venue, we are going to Spain. I like it (when asked about Santiago Bernabéu).”

UFC Mexico City’s Yair Rodriguez goes off on new featherweight king Ilia Topuria: ‘I’ll fight him in his backyard’

Yair RodriguezYair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria. Rodriguez — who came up…

Yair Rodriguez

Yair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria.

Rodriguez — who came up short of trading in his interim title for undisputed gold against Alexander Volkanovski in July — sounded just a little bit bitter when asked about Topuria’s title-winning performance against ‘The Great’ during his appearance at the UFC Mexico City media event on Wednesday.

“He did it,” Rodriguez said. “He said he was going to do it and he did it. I don’t have much to say about that.

“I would love to f*ck him up,” he continued. “I don’t want to fight him, I want to f*ck him up. There’s a f*cking big difference in that. Just to make that clear. Anywhere I f*cking see him, I will f*ck him up. F*ck this b*tch. I don’t f*cking like him.”

Yair Rodriguez believes the uFC Mexico city co-main event will produce topuria’s first title challenger

Rodriguez will feature in the co-main event this Saturday night when the UFC returns to Mexico City with a fight that could produce Topuria’s first championship challenger. ‘El Pantera’ meets fellow contender Brian Ortega in a rematch of their July 2022 clash. Rodriguez won the bout via a first-round TKO after ‘T-City’ injured his shoulder.

Rodriguez believes that the winner between himself and Ortega will likely move on to fight Topuria later this year.

“I think that is what’s next for us, any of us, whoever wins, the title is next,” Rodriguez said. “F*ck yeah [I’ll go to Spain vs. Topuria]. I’ll fight him in his backyard if he wants.”

Yair Rodriguez enters the bout with a 10-3 record inside the Octagon with one no-contest. He has won three of his last five bouts, including an interim title victory over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. His two losses came against Volkanovski and former featherweight champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.

UFC Mexico City’s Yair Rodriguez goes off on new featherweight king Ilia Topuria: ‘I’ll fight him in his backyard’

Yair RodriguezYair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria. Rodriguez — who came up…

Yair Rodriguez

Yair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria.

Rodriguez — who came up short of trading in his interim title for undisputed gold against Alexander Volkanovski in July — sounded just a little bit bitter when asked about Topuria’s title-winning performance against ‘The Great’ during his appearance at the UFC Mexico City media event on Wednesday.

“He did it,” Rodriguez said. “He said he was going to do it and he did it. I don’t have much to say about that.

“I would love to f*ck him up,” he continued. “I don’t want to fight him, I want to f*ck him up. There’s a f*cking big difference in that. Just to make that clear. Anywhere I f*cking see him, I will f*ck him up. F*ck this b*tch. I don’t f*cking like him.”

Yair Rodriguez believes the uFC Mexico city co-main event will produce topuria’s first title challenger

Rodriguez will feature in the co-main event this Saturday night when the UFC returns to Mexico City with a fight that could produce Topuria’s first championship challenger. ‘El Pantera’ meets fellow contender Brian Ortega in a rematch of their July 2022 clash. Rodriguez won the bout via a first-round TKO after ‘T-City’ injured his shoulder.

Rodriguez believes that the winner between himself and Ortega will likely move on to fight Topuria later this year.

“I think that is what’s next for us, any of us, whoever wins, the title is next,” Rodriguez said. “F*ck yeah [I’ll go to Spain vs. Topuria]. I’ll fight him in his backyard if he wants.”

Yair Rodriguez enters the bout with a 10-3 record inside the Octagon with one no-contest. He has won three of his last five bouts, including an interim title victory over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. His two losses came against Volkanovski and former featherweight champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.

Jamahal Hill taking a page out of Ilia Topuria’s playbook ahead of UFC 300 clash with Alex Pereira

Jamahal HillJamahal Hill is taking a page out of Ilia Topuria’s playbook. Hill — a former light heavyweight champion who…

Jamahal Hill

Jamahal Hill is taking a page out of Ilia Topuria’s playbook.

Hill — a former light heavyweight champion who never lost the belt — will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon on April 13 to headline UFC 300. Sweet Dreams’ was forced to vacate the belt six months removed from his title-winning performance against Glover Teixeira in January 2023. In his absence, Alex Pereira has risen to the top of the division, claiming his second UFC title after just seven fights with the promotion.

With only two months to prepare and coming off an Achilles injury, the deck certainly appears to be stacked against Jamahal Hill. Still, the ex-champ is nonetheless confident in his ability to get the job done and once again wrap UFC gold around his waist.

In fact, Hill is so confident that he’s already updated his Instagram profile to read, “Undisputed UFC LHW Champion of The World.”

UFC Fans are not convinced that Jamahal Hill can Duplicate Ilia Topuria’s Result

Newly crowned featherweight world champion Ilia Topuria did the exact same thing weeks ahead of his UFC 298 title tilt with Alexander Volkanovski, declaring himself the 145-pound king on social media long before taking his seat on the throne.

Needless to say, Hill is more than confident in his ability to produce a result similar to Topuria’s, but UFC fans are not exactly convinced.

“Alex sending this guy to the shadow realm,” one user wrote in response.

“But in this case he’ll have to edit later,” another added.

“Hill ain’t stopping Pereira. Hill couldn’t even finish an old Glover Teixeira.”

“Alex sending this guy to the shadow realm.”

Who do you see leaving Las Vegas with the light heavyweight title when Alex Pereira defends the 205-pound crown against Jamahal Hill?

Video – Thousands of Georgians gather in freezing weather to watch Ilia Topuria’s UFC 298 title win

Georgians watch Ilia Topuria win UFC titleGeorgia has its first UFC world champion, and his name is Ilia Topuria. On Saturday night, ‘El Matador’ entered…

Georgians watch Ilia Topuria win UFC title

Georgia has its first UFC world champion, and his name is Ilia Topuria.

On Saturday night, ‘El Matador’ entered the Octagon with an entire country behind him. Less than two rounds later, he shocked the world with a sensational second-round knockout of featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkavnoski to claim the 145-pound crown. It was a history-making moment for Topuria and his transcontinental home country.

To give the rest of the world an idea of how much Topuria’s victory means to the country, MMA reporter and fellow Georgian Giorgi Kokiashvili shared a video of thousands of fight fans celebrating in the streets after their native son did exactly what he said he was going to do.

“Topuria is a great and had a tremendous performance. If he continues like this I think he will have a great future,” UFC CEO Dana White said at a post-fight press event.

Merab Dvalishvili gives Georgians another victory to celebrate

Ilia Topuria wasn’t the only Georgian fighter to deliver big at UFC 298. Earlier in the evening, bantamweight standout Merab Dvalishvili scored his 10th-straight win inside the Octagon, besting former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo via unanimous decision.

With the victory, Dvalishvili was dubbed as the next man in line for a shot at the 135-pound title.

Sean O’Malley already trying to duck fight with Merab Dvalishvili, would rather face new UFC champ Ilia Topuria

Sean O'Malley talks Merab Dvalishvili fightAccording to Dana White, Merab Dvalishvili is the next man in line for a bantamweight title opportunity. Sean O’Malley…

Sean O'Malley talks Merab Dvalishvili fight

According to Dana White, Merab Dvalishvili is the next man in line for a bantamweight title opportunity. Sean O’Malley doesn’t necessarily agree.

On Saturday night, ‘The Machine’ scored an impressive unanimous decision victory over No. 3 ranked contender Henry Cejudo. It was Dvalishvili’s 10th-straight win inside the Octagon and — according to the UFC CEO — that puts him in pole position to fight the winner of next month’s bantamweight championship clash between reigning titleholder Sean O’Malley and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at UFC 299.

But it sounds as though O’Malley is already trying to weasel his way out of a potential meeting with ‘The Machine.’

Speaking with Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, ‘Sugar’ appeared to be far more interested in a scrap with newly crowned featherweight king, Ilia Topuria.

“There’s Merab, there’s Cory [Sandhagen], and there’s Ilia [Topuria],” O’Malley said. “Those three are all potentially next, but I’m dialed in and laser-focused on Chito. Whatever happens after that, I’m very confident. Merab’s very beatable. Henry [Cejudo] about knocked him out. Marlon Moraes about knocked him out. Merab’s got a crazy-good gas tank. A lot of wrestling. He’s a dangerous opponent, but when I think of a scary opponent, that’s Ilia.

“He could put your f*cking lights out and change your life. That’s a scary opponent Merab’s a dangerous opponent. He’s got good cardio. He could eventually put your lights out after you gas out, but he couldn’t finish Henry. We’ll see. I like big fights. When you’re grinding through these camps… I’m not saying Merab wouldn’t be up there, but what it comes down to is what do the people really truly want to see. If they want to see Merab, that’s what’s next, but I hate even talking about that. I got Chito next.”

Topuria did exactly what he said he was going to do on Saturday night, sending ex-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski into the shadow realm via a shocking second-round KO to claim his first UFC gold.

As exciting as O’Malley vs. Topuria sounds, it’s unlikely that the UFC will move forward given that they are two of the promotion’s newest champions. ‘Sugar’ is yet to make his first defense of the bantamweight belt while Topuria is only days removed from his victory over Volkanovski. Perhaps once O’Malley and ‘El Matador’ clear out some of their stacked divisions, we will see a superfight between the two.