People cheered for UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria before Real Madrid’s game against Sevilla. He then posed for a picture with both sets of players.

The 27-year-old became the first Spanish UFC champion earlier this month when he stunned everyone by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. 

Big ‘The Great’ was knocked out by a big right from Topuria that went over his shoulder and onto his chin at the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California.

Some of Topuria’s countrymen have been very nice to him since then on social media, and now he has gotten a great welcome at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

On Sunday night, Real Madrid beat Sevilla 1-0 thanks to a late goal by Luka Modric. Before the game, Topuria was brought out onto the field. 

Fans and players alike cheered for the featherweight champion as he brought his UFC belt onto the pitch and made the ceremonial first kick.

Nacho Fernandez and Sergio Ramos, both captains, were seen shaking hands with Topuria. He then gave the belt to an official and took the kick. 

After leaving the field, the UFC champion was seen in pictures with the featherweight title and players from both Madrid and Sevilla. 

Thibaut Courtois, Sergio Ramos, David Alaba, and Jude Bellingham took a picture with the UFC star. Bellingham missed the game because of an illness.

When Topuria won his title, the official Real Madrid Instagram account shared a picture of the winner, with the caption: ‘Congratulations on your great triumph for Spanish sport, @IliaTopuria. 

“We’re proud that a great Madrid fan like you won the UFC world title.”

Topuria was born in Georgia but went to Spain when he was young. He has said in the past that he wants to play for his country. 

Topuria told the UFC in 2020, “It feels unbelievable because I get a lot of support from both Georgia and Spain.” 

“I feel great, and no one has ever said anything mean to me like, “Why don’t you just rep Spain or Georgia?” People have always been nice to me and helped me, and I love it.

“I was born and raised in Georgia, but I feel like I belong in Spain.” “Okay, I’m Georgian,” I can’t say because I live and train in Spain and that’s where I learned mixed martial arts. Spain is what made me what I am today. 

Luka Modric went back in time to score the game-winning goal at the Santiago Bernabeu, giving Real Madrid a close win over Ramos’ Sevilla. 

The former captain of Real Madrid played his first game back at the Bernabeu since leaving the club two years ago. For 85 minutes, it looked like he would leave with a clean sheet and a point, but his old teammate Modric had other ideas.

In the 75th minute, the 38-year-old player came on. When Ramos cleared Fede Valverde’s cross, the ball fell to the Croatian, and with his first touch, he set himself up for a powerful shot into the net.