The whole Santiago Bernabeu was alive, pulsating with energy. They were all there for Ilia Topuria. Hearts were full as the crowd cheered him on.
El Matador, with pride, showcased his UFC belt. Over 85,000 Real Madrid fans were there, witnessing history. The love was palpable.
Oh, and there was this ad break that popped up. You know how it is.
Caught the moment on Setanta Sports. It was something special. Check it out [here](https://t.co/ZwgScsVW1D), tweeted by Giorgi Kokiashvili on February 25, 2024.
Ilia Topuria, the newly crowned UFC featherweight champ, got a hero’s welcome back home.
At a Real Madrid game, no less. The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium was buzzing. Imagine, more than 85,000 fans cheering as Topuria, belt in tow, kicked off the match.
His popularity’s skyrocketing. And the UFC? They’re eyeing Spain for an event, thanks to him.
Dana White’s all in. He mentioned at a press conference in Mexico City, “I would love to go to Spain.” They’re working on making it happen. Fingers crossed for this year.
And then, there was this tweet in Spanish. Topuria, doing the honorary kickoff at the #RealMadridSevillaFC game. The crowd went wild. [Here’s the moment](https://t.co/ggEQKYSKJL), courtesy of Real Madrid’s tweet on February 25, 2024.
Topuria’s record? An impressive 15-0 after UFC 298. He took down Alexander Volkanovski in a stunning second-round knockout. Featherweight gold, claimed at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Feb. 17.
And, just like that, a star shines brighter.