Ilia Topuria to honored for UFC title win at upcoming Real Madrid football match in Spain

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will be celebrated at an upcoming Real Madrid match this weekend.

Earlier this month, Ilia Topuria became the new king at 145 pounds. He did so by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski – something that nobody in the UFC had been able to do at featherweight. He’s undefeated, he’s getting better with every fight, and his star power is growing rapidly. At this rate, the promotion may have their next big European sensation.

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Since returning home to Spain, Topuria has been showered with love and praise by a parade of figures. He’s become a household name, and the same is true for his homeland of Georgia.

Now, things are being taken to the next level, as reported by @iHeartGeorgius1 on X.

🚨 Ilia Topuria to introduce his UFC belt in front of the Santiago Bernabeu on February 25th Real Madrid match against Sevilla.

It's so huge that I don't even know how to explain this crossover to the person who doesn't follow Football.

This is history. pic.twitter.com/ewwwqb4d7N

— Giorgi Kokiashvili 🇬🇪 (@iHeartGeorgius1) February 22, 2024

Topuria’s Bernabeu date

This Sunday, Topuria will present his championship at the Santiago Bernabeu in front of a capacity crowd. Real Madrid will be taking on Sevilla in La Liga, as they aim to extend their lead at the top of the table.

For those who don’t know, Real Madrid is the world’s biggest football (or soccer) club with a rich history behind them. They have an incredibly large fanbase, they’ve won the European Cup 14 times, and they regularly play in front of over 75,000 spectators.

It’s not a stretch to say this is a monumental moment for Topuria in his career. Of course, we’ve also seen the likes of Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards show off their belts at football stadiums in recent months, but it definitely feels like there’s something particularly special about this one for Ilia.

What is your reaction to Ilia Topuria being showcased at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend? Do you believe he has the potential to become the biggest active star in the UFC? Let us know your thoughts on this, BJPENN Nation!