UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is hoping to invite Lionel Messi to his next fight, if it’s staged in Miami, and hit back at Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, who is a known fan of mixed martial arts, criticised the Georgian ahead of UFC 308 in October and predicted he would lose to Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi.
The Al Nassr striker was filmed telling former MMA champion-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou and his coach Eric Nicksick that Topuria, nicknamed El Matador, “speaks too much” and “didn’t fight with the top guys”.
Topuria promptly knocked out American Holloway in the third round and is now looking to stage his next fight in South Florida.
If he does, only one of the two greatest footballers of their generation will be invited, and it’s not the Portugal captain.
Real Madrid fan Topuria told Cade Cope’s El Partidazo show: “The one I’m going to personally invite there [in Miami] is [Lionel] Messi because he lives there, so f*** Cristiano as long as Messi exists.”
😬🍿Ilia Topuria is RUTHLESS
Ilia: “F#ck Cristiano as long as Messi exists”
Presenter: “I didn’t see this one coming, Ilia”
Ilia: “Volkanovski and Holloway didn’t see it coming either”
🎥@partidazocope 🔹 pic.twitter.com/dixly8nteU
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 10, 2024
Asked about Ronaldo’s comments, he added: “I didn’t understand it, to be honest. I saw the clip that came out talking about me talking too much. If Cristiano says it, something doesn’t add up to me. Cristiano always talks.”
