Ilia Topuria has been away from fight announcements lately, but he has not completely disappeared. If anything, the UFC lightweight champion has been showing up more in the public eye via social media posts uploaded by other notable personalities. Earlier, it was Merab Dvalishvili visiting ‘El Matador’ for a little trip to Spain. Now, it’s Sergio Ramos.

The Spanish soccer legend shared a video on social media of himself boxing with Topuria, who was accompanied by Spanish TV host Pablo Motos. Pads, combos, movement—the whole thing looked like a cross between a training session and a “how did this even happen?” moment. And the internet reacted as it often does when two worlds collide: with equal parts hype, jokes, and wild predictions.

Sergio Ramos and Ilia Topuria make the UFC-soccer crossover feel real

The clip instantly felt bigger than a simple workout because these two aren’t strangers. Sergio Ramos has been a longtime supporter of ‘El Matador,’ attending his fights in person, cheering him on, and treating him like a true Spanish sporting representative.

The former Real Madrid star was there when Ilia Topuria delivered career-defining moments like the Max Holloway knockout. Time and again, Topuria has also been welcomed into the Real Madrid ecosystem. So, when the former Spanish national team captain popped up, throwing hands beside him, it looked less like a random influencer moment and more like friendship turning into content.

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And well, it didn’t take long for the fight and soccer world to react together. Among the first commenters was none other than Aleksandre Topuria, the brother of Ilia Topuria, as he shared his feelings with a simple ‘🔥’ emoji. Fans joined in soon, as one user wrote, “Two champions 🔥.”

Another kept it simple: “True Fighters 💪🏼👊🏼.” Some fans even presented it as an official meeting of kings: “Sergio: Soccer World Champion. Ilia: UFC World Champion.” Once that tone was set, the rest came naturally: “What a duooo 😎😎🔥”

Then followed the reactions, which nailed exactly what everyone was thinking: the sport-crossover era is getting ridiculous. “These collaborations are getting out of hand 😅 😅 😅,” one fan joked, while another summed it all up in one phrase: “most unexpected collab 🔥.” It wasn’t hatred. It was disbelief… the fun kind.

Of course, fans couldn’t simply stop at training footage. The boxing gloves immediately sparked the matchmaker’s brain, and Sergio Ramos was no longer a free agent soccer star but a future combat sports attraction. “Sergio Ramos vs. Fernando Torres in a ring 📽️🍿,” one commenter joked.

Another added a second option: “Ramos vs. Diego Costa.” And the joke almost wrote itself: “Coming soon: Sergio the boxer 😂” What makes it even more interesting is where both men are currently. Ramos is currently between clubs, yet he remains a big name with constant rumors surrounding him.

Ilia Topuria, meanwhile, leads the UFC lightweight division undefeated and is scheduled to return later in 2026 after taking a break for personal reasons, something that many fans would question, seeing that the UFC star is surely enjoying his time away from the Octagon, even though the division has now moved towards an interim title spot.

Topuria’s break for personal reasons is slowly turning into a vacation

That’s what is starting to annoy people. The belt is frozen, the division is preparing for an interim title bout, and Ilia Topuria continues to appear in light, carefree settings. First, it was the viral Spain video with Merab Dvalishvili, and now he’s training and joking with Sergio Ramos.

It may appear harmless on its own, but it takes on a different meaning when you’re holding the division hostage. Topuria has given his explanation, which includes legal difficulties related to his separation and claimed extortion attempts, as well as protecting his children. ‘El Matador’ also stated that he will not return before mid-2026. The problem is with the optics.

Fans expected a champion coping with something heavy to keep a low profile. Instead, his “break” continues to resemble a lengthy vacation, while everyone else competes for a temporary belt. And the backlash is coming from everywhere. Arman Tsarukyan and Ali Abdelaziz have attacked him for continuing to engage in verbal spats while claiming personal problems.

Chael Sonnen has even proposed stripping the title from the champion, claiming that breaks are meant for injury or illness rather than personal absence. The longer Ilia Topuria remains active publicly while not competing, the louder such complaints get.