Ilia Topuria Changes Tune on Cristiano Ronaldo’s GOAT Status After Their MMA Partnership

Madrid, Spain — UFC two-division champion Ilia Topuria has long worn his Real Madrid heart on his sleeve, but when it came to football’s eternal debate—Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi—his answer had always been emphatically one-sided. Speaking on Adin Ross’ Kick livestream this week, however, the featherweight and lightweight titleholder offered a noticeably softer stance, hinting that business interests have nudged his personal hierarchy.

“I like Messi, but since Cristiano became my partner…” Topuria said, trailing off with a shoulder shrug that spoke louder than words.

The shift stems from the pair’s new joint venture inside the MMA sphere. In 2023 Topuria acquired a stake in WOW FC (Way of Warrior FC), a fledgling European promotion. Last month five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo announced he, too, had purchased equity in the organization, instantly pairing two global superstars under the same corporate umbrella.

“I’m excited to share some big news: I will become a shareholder of @wowfcmma!” Ronaldo posted on X. “We share values I truly believe in—discipline, respect, resilience, and the constant pursuit of excellence.”

The alliance marks a stark departure from the barbs exchanged barely a year ago. Ahead of Topuria’s UFC 308 title defense against Max Holloway, Ronaldo told reporters the Spaniard “spoke too much” and “hadn’t beaten the top guys.” Topuria fired back, declaring, “Cristiano can go f— himself as long as Messi is around,” while personally inviting the Argentine icon to attend the bout.

Since the fallout Topuria has gone 2-0 in championship fights, stopping Holloway and submitting Charles Oliveira to claim the UFC lightweight belt. Outside the cage he quietly built WOW FC, unaware that Ronaldo would soon become a co-owner. The Portuguese star’s arrival appears to have muted Topuria’s previously fiery rhetoric.

While the 27-year-old still considers Messi “the better player,” he concedes that shared business interests have recalibrated his public praise. Whether the alliance translates into a full endorsement of Ronaldo as football’s greatest remains unclear, but Topuria’s days of dismissing the Al-Nassr forward appear numbered—at least while their promotional partnership endures.

For now, the champion’s stance can best be summarized by his own on-stream admission: a reluctant nod to Ronaldo born not of footballing analysis, but of boardroom alignment.