Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a fan of combat sports, but he has just taken things up a notch.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most recognisable athletes in the world, and his reach goes far beyond football. Even after moving to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, his fame has not slowed down.
The Portuguese forward has been seen at several combat sports events, especially since his move to Saudi.
His interest in MMA even sparked a short-lived feud with UFC champion Ilia Topuria last year after Ronaldo backed Max Holloway to beat Topuria at UFC 308.
The Portuguese star also claimed that the Spaniard ‘speaks too much’. He then replied: “I didn’t expect someone like you (Ronaldo) to be unable to distinguish between confidence and arrogance.”
Still, the tension between them did not last long. On Thursday morning, they revealed they were teaming up for a major new project.
Cristiano Ronaldo partners with Ilia Topuria’s WOW FC MMA Promotion
Topuria is a part-owner of WOW FC, a promotion based in Spain that has been gaining traction within the local MMA scene.
‘El Matador’ became involved last year and has since promoted it as an ideal platform for nurturing new talent and helping the sport to grow across Spain.
On Thursday morning, Ronaldo announced he is now a shareholder in the promotion. He shared his excitement, saying: “I’m excited to share some big news. I will become shareholder of WOWFC MMA! We share values I truly believe in – discipline, respect, resilience, and the constant pursuit of excellence.
“WOW FC is building something unique and powerful, and I’m proud to join this project to help elevate the sport and inspire the next generation.”
The Portuguese forward made his mark while playing for Real Madrid and spent most of his prime years in Spain.
Topuria will not return to UFC action in January
After securing the lightweight title earlier this year, there was plenty of speculation that Topuria would defend his belt at the first event of the UFC’s new deal with Paramount.
However, the Spaniard confirmed he will not be fighting in January, claiming he will spend some time away from the UFC due to personal issues.
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