Ilia Topuria is the man of the moment in Spain. The Alicante native of Georgian origin has become a new national hero after defeating Alexander Volkanovski two weeks ago, becoming the new UFC Featherweight World Champion. Since then, and as the first Spaniard to win a title in the mixed martial arts company, he has had a true bath of crowds in Madrid, including a great reception this Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu.
However, Topuria has also had the opportunity to meet in person the mayor of the Spanish capital, José Luis Martínez Almeida, and the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, to whom he gave the gloves with which he prepared before of the fight against Volkanovski. It was precisely the city’s leader who left a striking moment while testing the equipment.
Topuria’s style when speaking towards his rivals is well known among MMA followers: with superiority and playing into the public’s hands. A role that has reminded many of the Irishman Connor McGregor, who in the middle of the last decade became the most talked about fighter in the world due to his forcefulness inside and outside the cage. That is why Mayor Almeida wanted to give the fighter a little warning.
“McGregor, where are you?” the champion first asked, before the president aimed even higher: “Tremble, McGregor.” Immediately afterwards, the man from Alicante tested the strength of the Madrid mayor in a punch with his glove. An act that has attracted attention in the auditorium and has caused a funny response from Topuria: “With this force he goes to Madrid”, trying to incite possible interest from McGregor.
A confrontation that, in principle, should wait after the announcement that the Irishman himself dropped on New Year’s Day: “I would like to announce the date of my return. The biggest comeback of all time will take place in Las Vegas, at ‘International Fight Week’ on June 29. The opponent will be Michael Chandler, and the weight, the middleweight.” The American also sent a message to his opponent a few weeks ago on WWE’s RAW wrestling program.
If there were to be a possible fight between Connor McGregor and Ilia Topuria, many users also floated the possibility of it taking place at the Santiago Bernabéu. The president of Real Madrid himself, Florentino Pérez, announced at the time that he wanted to expand the uses of the stadium beyond football and concerts with the current reform. A fact that will be fulfilled in the fall of 2025 with the first game in the history of the NFL on Spanish soil.
