UFC News: Watch Champion Ilia Topuria Receive Stunning Fan Welcome in Georgia
Ilia Topuria received a hero’s welcome upon his return to Georgia after he claimed the UFC featherweight title last month.
Born in West Germany to Georgian parents, Topuria moved to Georgia as a child before he relocated to Spain as a teenager, and has proudly represented both of those countries during his unbeaten MMA career.
“El Matador” was recently given his Spanish citizenship and appeared at the Santiago Bernabéu with his UFC belt during a soccer match between Real Madrid and Sevilla, and his return to Georgia also featured a massive turnout of support from fans (video courtesy of Giorgi Kokiashvili).
Topuria’s reception in Spain and Georgia was well-deserved after his incredible knockout win over longtime featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. Fans eagerly await news on the 27-year-old's next fight announcement.
Sean O’Malley’s successful title defense against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 helped create buzz around a possible champion-versus-champion matchup with Topuria, but “Suga” has indicated he wants to take on #1-ranked Merab Dvalishvili next and also sarcastically suggested a third bout with Vera in a recent post.
A matchup with O’Malley is exactly the kind of huge fight that could headline Topuria’s long-desired UFC card in Spain, but even if that’s off the table for now there are plenty of major challenges still available for “El Matador” in the featherweight division.
Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC, MMA, WWE, and AEW.
Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.