UFC fighter Ilia Topuria praises Lionel Messi, renews feud with Cristiano Ronaldo

UFC fighter Ilia Topuria, has doubled down in his feud with his former idol Cristiano Ronaldo, while praising Lionel Messi. The Spanish-Georgian featherweight champion visited El Partidazo Cope, in which he talked about the two soccer legends when asked about the possible guests to his next fight.

While the host Juanma Castaño talked about the possibility of fighting in Miami, a city in which many celebrities live, Topuria, who is a declared Real Madrid fan, responded: “I love it. The one I’m going to personally invite, because he lives there, is Messi. So screw Cristiano as long as Messi exists,” prompting the claps and laughs of the crowd.

When Castaño expressed his surprise, saying “I didn’t see this coming,” Topuria replied: “Well, neither did [Max] Holloway.” This comment was also a direct response to Ronaldo’s preference for the American mixed martial artist, which Topuria beat last month in the UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

Ahead of that fight, Ronaldo was caught picking Holloway over Topuria in an informal conversation, published by the PFL. The Al Nassr forward said that Topuria “speaks too much” and that he “didn’t fight with the top guys. If he beats Max, I will respect.”

Ilia Topuria with Lionel Messi back in April (Instagram: @iliatopuria)

These words didn’t sit well with Topuria, who in February was honored at the Santiago Bernabeu. He responded with a post on X, in which he wrote: “I didn’t expect someone like you to be unable to distinguish between confidence and arrogance. But, at the end of the day, we all reflect our own reality onto others. I wish you the best for what remains of your career, and God bless your family.”

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Ronaldo hasn’t commented back on Topuria’s comments

The Portuguese star hasn’t responded to the comments yet. However, it’s clear that Topuria is still stung for his comments. But the Spanish-Georgian fighter doesn’t need his approval. At the end, he not only beat Holloway, he also knocked him out in the third round, something no one had done in 34 fights.

Meanwhile, Messi and Topuria met back in April, when the UFC fighter was in Miami back in April. In a post on Instagram, the fighter expressed his admiration for the Argentine and former Barcelona star.

“With one of the biggest legends in the history of sports,” Topuria wrote on Instagram, captioning some pictures with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. “He’s a great example for me and a role model for everyone,” he wrote.

It seems Topuria’s preferences are more than clear. While his feud with Ronaldo keeps to grab attention, Topuria is proving that his performance in the octagon speaks louder than any words outside of it.