Ilia Topuria claims he will earn more than Cristiano Ronaldo and become the highest paid athlete in 2025

UFC champion Ilia Topuria is confident he will have a more lucrative 2025 than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Topuria is quickly becoming a big star in the UFC, after causing a monumental upset by defeating Alexander Volkanovski to capture the featherweight title in February.

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The Georgian-Spanish athlete has leapt into the public eye, having linked up with favorite football club Real Madrid, after parading his title around the Santiago Bernabeu.

And the 27-year-old believes he can become the highest-earning sportsman by 2025, eclipsing the financial success of football icon Ronaldo.

He said: “Look, I can tell you that I have no doubt that in 2025 I will be the highest paid athlete in the world.

“I will be there at the level of Cristiano Ronaldo. I have no doubt about it. I mean, I would be surprised if I didn’t do it. If I did, I really have no doubt.”

‘CR7’ is currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia as the talisman of the Al Nassr club, in a lucrative deal worth around $213m (£173m) per year, rights to image and commercial agreements included.

Ronaldo won the title of highest-earning sportsman in 2023 according to Forbes, ranking first with a total income of $136 million in 2023.

Lionel Messi came second in the rankings, winning $130 million during his time in the United States at Inter Miami, while PSG striker Kylian Mbappe was third with $120 million in estimated winnings.

The latest and only MMA fighter to reach the top ten is UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who took home a whopping $180 million in 2020.

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It will be a tall order for Topuria to achieve that goal, given he doesn’t have the commercial star power and external ventures that the Irishman does.

Especially since he only made $350,000 against Volkanovski this year, arguably the biggest fight of his career to date.

A rematch could well be in store for the new champion, who has not yet defended his crown.

Max Holloway should also be in line to face Topuria, and Volkanovski believes he will be the one to win the belt.

“It’s thanks to the guy, he got me,” Volkanovski said. “No excuses. He capitalized on what I was doing. But now he’s calling out Conor McGregor?

“But I know I can go out there and make this fight easy. I also believe Max can go out there and make this fight easy.

“I think Max wins this fight. Topuria is very dangerous, a great fighter. But I don’t think he’s as good as he thinks he is.”