UFC star Ilia Topuria makes offer to Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso ahead of UFC 317 as Los Blancos eye Mbappe back-up
Chisanga Malata, Senior Digital & Print Combat Sports Reporter
Published: Invalid Date,
UFC superstar Ilia Topuria has jokingly offered his services to Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, who is on the hunt for a new striker
Georgian-born Spaniard Topruia is one of the slickest strikers in the sport of mixed martial arts and has electrified the UFC with a string of emphatic knockouts.
5
5
But he's also a dab hand on the pitch, so much so that he shared his footie skills in an Instgram video for his 7.7 million followers to see.
The 28-year-old posted a video of himself dribbling past his training partners as they took some downtime from preparations for his UFC 317 next weekend.
And the Real superfan sent a message to new Los Blancos boss Alonso, who is in the market for a back-up striker for Kylian Mbappe.
His accompanying caption read: "I'm not saying anything but @realmadrid needs a Matador."
Topuria, who was presented at the Bernabeu last February after his brutal featherweight title-winning knockout of Alexander Volkanovski, had his comments section flooded by Madridistas.
And another said: "Better than Cristiano."
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS
5
One remarked: "Topurinho."
Another chimed in: "Barcelona, you have a new problem."
Ilia Topuria performs shock Paddy Pimblett U-turn ahead of UFC 317 after seemingly squashing beef with Brit
Topuria is pals with Real legend Sergio Ramos, who was cageside for his sole featherweight title defence against Max Holloway last October.
'El Matador' will bid to become a two-division champion a week on Sunday morning when he fights Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
And he plans to win his second belt in as equally devastating a fashion as his first.
He said: Charles is a great fighter.
"I'd say he's a legendary fighter, one of the few still active in the UFC.
"But the truth is that his style fits perfectly with mine to put him to sleep in the first round.
"Because he has no mobility, he doesn't move."
5
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
‘Just smash into them' – England U21s star Charlie Cresswell reveals his plan to bring pain to Spain in Euros showdown
CHARLIE CRESSWELL says England have nothing Tou-Louse and vowed to bring the pain to Spain and 'smash' straight into them. The Young Lions went down 2-1 to Germany on Wednesday in Slovakia to finish runners-up in Group B. 3 3 Lee Carsley 's side are now on a collision course with the much-fancied La Roja, the team they beat to win the U21 Euros in 2023, in Trnava on Saturday. The boss revealed that he let his players have it as they trailed 2-0 to the Germans at the break but was pleased by the response as Alex Scott almost sparked a late rally. And Cresswell, 22, insists that there won't be a repeat of the 'lack of fight' they started with when they go to battle with star-studded Spanish Armada. The honest defender, who has starred for Toulouse in Ligue 1 since joining from Leeds last summer, said: 'It wasn't good enough from everyone, myself included, it was a collective thing. We just needed more fight, more determination. We can go press them high and get the ball back. We needed more of that and you saw that in the second half.' On the content of Carsley's dressing down, he continued: 'Show some fight, you're playing for England, let's run harder than them, work harder than them. I was saying to the lads 'just smash into them', 'I don't know you're there' and 'let them know they're in a game'. 'We showed that in the second half, but we've got to take that into the next game. 'You can't give Germany that, otherwise look what they did. That's the thing with European competitions, you get punished and you've got to be at your best game.' Cresswell, whose father is a former Leeds star, acknowledged that many will have England down as the underdogs. But he, along with Harvey Elliott, were part of the squad that toppled them in Georgia two years ago and he's relishing another fierce battle. He added: 'We go into each game wanting to win. We respect every team. It's going to be a different group from two years ago and they'll be a good side and we've got to be at our game. Lee Carsley hailed for 'best football England have ever played' as fans say 'can we rip up Tuchel's contract-' 3 'Of course Spain are a top side. The first team as well, it runs through their system. You know when you play against Spain what they're going to be like. They're going to pass it around and try to make you move. But we've got to stand strong and take the game to them. 'We've got quality in that dressing-room. We know we can beat them. 'Everyone has their weaknesses, you know. We've got to make sure we're at our A game. 'It was good [in 2023], I know it got a bit fiery at some points and I'm pretty sure it'll be a fiery game. I enjoy that stuff though. I was saying to the lads 'just smash into them', 'I don't know you're there' and 'let them know they're in a game'. Charlie Cresswell 'I said to the lads, it doesn't get better than this. You're playing for England Under-21s, against Germany and next will be against Spain. It doesn't get better than this. We'll look back on this time and want to live this point again so it's important we stay right here right now and enjoy every moment.' Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson, whose trickery produced the assist for Scott, added: 'They're very good on the ball, so we want to be dominant. We're gonna have to try to take that away from them. We can be physically better than them. We've just got to physically outrun them and take them to the final whistle. 'Cars is big on that. He said last time they played each other it was a tough game. We just want to be able to dominate and win by two goals really. 'It's my biggest game for England so I'm looking forward to it.' England's Under-21 Euros squad in FULL ENGLAND are looking to retain their status as Under-21 European champions this summer in Slovakia. Here is Lee Carsley's full squad for the blockbuster tournament: Goalkeepers: James Beadle (Brighton and Hove Albion), Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea), Tommy Simkin (Stoke City) Defenders: Charlie Cresswell (FC Toulouse), Ronnie Edwards (Southampton), CJ Egan-Riley (Burnley), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Brooke Norton Cuffy (Genoa), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool) Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur), Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough), Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton and Hove Albion), Tyler Morton (Liverpool), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth) Forwards: Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town), Sam Iling Jnr (Aston Villa), James McAtee (Manchester City), Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal), Jonathan Rowe (Marseille), Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City)
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Spain's king makes Rafa Nadal a marquis
MADRID, June 19 (Reuters) - Spain's King Felipe VI on Thursday granted tennis great Rafa Nadal the noble title of marquis, recognising his contribution to the nation through sporting prowess, according to a royal household statement. Nadal, a 22-times Grand Slam champion who retired last year, was among six individuals honoured as part of celebrations marking the monarch's 10th anniversary on the throne. Other given such titles included pop-rock singer Luz Casal and Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales. "They are a source of pride for Spain and a permanent reference point for values that should inspire our society," the palace said. Former world number one Nadal, 39, will hold the title Marquis of Llevant de Mallorca, the island where he was born and lives. The title can be inherited by his descendants. Nadal, who won the French Open a record 14 times, was commemorated last month at Roland Garros with a permanent footprint on the Centre Court.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
England star reveals Lee Carsley gave his U21 side the hairdryer treatment at half-time of Germany defeat that saw them scrape into Euros knockouts
England Under-21 star Charlie Cresswell has lifted the lid on Lee Carsley 's half-time hairdryer against Germany and outlined why a repeat against Spain would be game over for their Euros title defence. Carsley dished out some home truths to his players after an abject first half where Germany, who finished as winners of Group B, raced into a 2-0 lead to put England to bed. Asked what a ticked-off Carsley said to his team at the break, Cresswell said: 'Show some fight, you're playing for England, let's run harder than them, work harder than them'. 'I just was saying to the lads 'just smash into them, let them know they're in a game'. 'We showed that in the second half, but we've got to take that into the next game. That's the thing with European competitions, you get punished [if your level drops] and you've got to be at your best.' England were much improved in the second half in Nitra and scored through midfielder Alex Scott to reduce the arrears to a 2-1 defeat. But it was a performance pockmarked with problems, not least the lack of physicality, an area they will have to win if they are to have any chance in their quarter-final against Spain on Saturday night. 'Spain next it'll be a good game, a new challenge, and I'm looking forward to it,' Cresswell added. 'Spain are a top side. The first team as well, it runs through their system. You know when you play against Spain what they're going to be like. They're going to pass it around and try to make you move. 'But we've got to stand strong and take the game to them because we've got quality in that [dressing] room. We know we can beat them.' Team-mate Omari Hutchinson, who was central to the second half improvement versus Germany, echoed Cresswell's sentiments. 'We want to be dominant,' he said. 'We're going to have to try to take that away from them. We can be physically better than them. We've just got to physically outrun them and take them to the final whistle. 'Cars is big on that. He said last time they played each other it was a tough game for the Under-21s. Obviously they won it but we just want to be able to dominate and win by two goals really. 'It's probably my biggest game for England so I'm looking forward to it.' Saturday night could well be 22-year-old Cresswell's final game in an England shirt and with family making the trip out to Slovakia for Saturday's Spanish showdown, Cresswell's message to his team-mates is clear: don't let this moment pass you by. 'I said to the lads today, it doesn't get better than this,' Cresswell explained. 'You're playing for England Under-21s against Germany and next will be against Spain. It doesn't get better than this.
