UFC Featherweight Champ Ilia Topuria Honored At Real Madrid vs. Sevilla Match
Ilia Topuria, the new UFC Featherweight champion, was honoured at Real Madrid’s soccer match with Sevilla over the weekend.
Topuria secured the belt after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in the second round to end the Australian’s four-year reign as a champion. The win was huge because it was the first time Volkanovski had been stopped at featherweight. It was the Australian’s second successive stoppage after his loss to Islam Makhachev last year. That left Topuria to take in the celebrations, as the following footage showed.
Topuria Celebrates
In the footage here, we can see the champion meeting the players before they start the game. With a 15-0 record that includes 13 knockouts, his brand will only get better. Volkanovski is already looking to rematch the Spaniard in Spain, setting up the narrative for another big fight.
“Next time, it’ll be different, but I’m going to just have a little bit of a rest. I definitely want that rematch. Spain, what I’m hearing, is going to happen. Dana wants Spain, obviously Ilia wants Spain. That probably won’t be until later in the year. So the timing would be perfect for me to spend time with the fam, rest up a little bit, look after myself and then we’ll get back in there. We’ll make it right on my end. I’m going to do everything right for the next one, and I’m going to get that belt back. Mark my words,” Volkanovski stated
Diaz’s Return
Elsewhere, Nate Diaz is looking to make a return to the UFC. The UFC fighter has not fought with the promotion since beating Tony Ferguson in 2022. Since then, he has entered the world of boxing. He got into the ring with Jake Paul last year, losing a unanimous decision on his boxing debut.
He had been offered a rematch in the PFL to fight under MMA rules. Paul was willing to offer up to $15 million to make it happen. That never went ahead, leaving Diaz looking elsewhere. He has also been linked with a boxing match against Jorge Masvidal. Gamebread recently stated he was out of retirement, as talks over a boxing bout were mentioned.
“I’m definitely trying to do some boxing matches. I love MMA, it’s my favorite sport in the whole world. I did it for 20 years, it’ll always be number one to me. But, a chance to do some boxing matches, things like that, I wouldn’t mind breaking facing someone’s face.
“These guys are doing half-assed jobs on these shows. That’s why they aren’t able to go out there and be mean every second of every minute of every round. They’re f**king taking time off, they’re f**king pointing at each other, they’re taking selfies in the f**king ring. When I go in there, it’s only to scrap man,” Masvidal said
But since nothing has been officially agreed, Diaz’s UFC return could come first instead.
“I’ll be here f**k 300,” Nate Diaz stated
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