Ilia Topuria, the newly-crowned UFC featherweight champion, basked in the glory of his recent title triumph as he received a breathtaking standing ovation from Real Madrid fans during a soccer match on Sunday.
Damn.
This is next level.@Topuriailia getting a hero’s welcome at the Bernabeu. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/chT7UnQsu6
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 25, 2024
Just eight days ago, Topuria shook the MMA world with a stunning knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski, earning him the coveted UFC featherweight championship. Now, the Spanish fighter is experiencing the perks of being the man to beat at 145 pounds.
At the Santiago Bernabeu, Topuria draped his newly-won championship belt over his shoulder to the cheers of 85,000 Real Madrid fans, creating an electrifying atmosphere. The massive show of support has ignited speculation about the possibility of hosting a UFC event in Spain and Topuria’s first title defense taking place in his home country.
Sun Sport’s Chisanga Malata highlighted the significant welcome, stating, “New UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria was given a hero’s welcome by Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu this evening ahead of their clash with Sevilla. The biggest club in the world showing ‘El Matador’ huge love. This is big.”
While it’s not unprecedented for a UFC champion to receive a warm welcome, the scale of Madrid’s status as a premier soccer franchise adds a unique dimension, establishing Topuria as a truly global superstar.
Topuria’s Instagram following has surged to an impressive 3.3 million followers, with his post-UFC 298 triumph photos garnering over 7,000 comments.
