Ilia Topuria has become the most traveled name in Spain in recent weeks. The Alicante native of Georgian parents defeated the Australian Alexander Volkanovski on February 17, becoming the new UFC Featherweight World Champion. A fact that has allowed him to have a real mass bath upon returning to Spain, with a luxury reception at the Santiago Bernabéu and at Madrid City Hall.
As a culmination of some unforgettable days for the Matador, Topuria visited the set of El Hormiguero with Pablo Motos. Many things have changed since he visited the Atresmedia studios last October, including his popularity and attention from around the world. However, he still has a pending issue to resolve: Spanish nationality. A wish that he expressed with the team live during the interview.
Since his previous interview, Topuria had assured that he had two dreams pending to fulfill: to be a champion and also a motivator. The first of them came true on the 17th, after defeating Volkanovski and winning the featherweight belt. The second, Pablo Motos himself has confirmed it, after knowing that the man on the bench with whom he agrees has managed to motivate himself thanks to the fighter’s entry theme.
However, there is still a dream to achieve: having a Spanish DNI. Born in Germany to Georgian parents, Topuria moved to Alicante when he was 15, where he began training at the Climent Club gym. However, since Georgia is not among the countries that are part of the Schengen area, it has not yet been able to resolve the issue of nationality. Despite this, he wants to resolve it with Pedro Sánchez personally.
A reaction that follows the one he had after his return to Spain, with a small veiled message to the president of the government. “When I landed, I thought why did I have to go through immigration, where the foreigners go and not where the Spaniards go. I have not had the congratulations of the leader of our country. He hurt me, but I have no resentment,” expressed Topuria, wishing for a meeting with the mandate to resolve this matter.
During this Monday, the man from Alicante also had the opportunity to meet in person the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, to whom he gave the gloves with which he prepared before the fight against Volkanovski. During the reception, he helped the leader put on the equipment and joke with the Irish fighter Conor McGregor, whom they both “challenged.”
