“He is bigger than MMA” – Ilia Topuria surprises fans after training with Spanish superstar Sergio Ramos 

UFC featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria meets former Real Madrid superstar and popular defender Sergio Ramos.

“He is bigger than MMA” – Ilia Topuria surprises fans after training with Spanish superstar Sergio Ramos 

Ilia Topuria poses with Sergio Ramos (via Imago/Instagram)

Ilia Topuria is currently one of the most hyped UFC fighters on the roster. The featherweight champion beat Alexander Volkanovski in order to capture the belt. The undefeated fighter is the only Spanish fighter to earn a UFC title in the history of the sport. However, things got even better when the fighter met another Spanish giant, Sergio Ramos. 

Being half Spanish, it was natural for Ilia Topuria to be a huge football fan. Similarly, former Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos is also a supporter of Topuria. In the past, the defender has also rooted for the champion in his title fight. Recently, the pair had linked up again and shared videos of it on social media. Ramos gave Topuria his signed Spain football jersey and the mutual respect was admirable. 

After becoming the UFC featherweight champion at UFC 298, Topuria was invited to take the honorary kickoff at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu. It was a game between Sevilla and Real Madrid, where Ramos was playing. Topuria has always wanted to fight at the Santiago Bernabeu and has also talked with UFC about the idea. 

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Though, the original plan was to make it happen in 2024 but that did not come to fruition. Currently, the ‘El Matador’ is scheduled to defend his UFC title against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. A potential win could further elevate Topuria’s superstar status to a different level.

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Fight fans react to Ilia Topuria’s meeting with Sergio Ramos 

Other than Sergio Ramos, Ilia Topuria has also met with many other football stars. FC Barcelona striker, Ferran Torres had shared how he took inspiration from Topuria in order to fight back from his slump. On top of all this, Topuria broke the internet when he met the GOAT of football, Lionel Messi. 

Fight fans react to Ilia Topuria meeting Sergio Ramos
Fight fans react to Ilia Topuria meeting Sergio Ramos (via Imago/X)

Topuria surely has done a great job amassing a huge fan following through his collaborations. The fighter is a pay-per-view star and fans are desperate to see him back inside the octagon. Nevertheless, here are some reactions from his recent meeting with Ramos.

Many MMA fans who are aware of football appreciated the link-up between Ramos and Topuria. Many joked about how  Ramos is known for his brutal and violent defending style on the football field. This has further added to the hype regarding Topuria’s comeback later this year. 

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