"I have no doubt" - Ilia Topuria believes he'll replace Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-paid athlete in the world by 2025

Ilia Topuria, the newly crowned UFC featherweight champion, has set his sights well beyond the octagon. In a recent interview, Topuria declared his audacious goal of becoming the world's highest-paid athlete by the end of 2025.

This comes on the heels of Topuria's stunning knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, which captured the featherweight title. The win has propelled Topuria to the forefront of the MMA world, but his ambitions extend far beyond the fight game.

While Topuria is open to facing various top contenders, including Max Holloway and Brian Ortega, his ultimate goal appears to be financial domination.

Appearing in an interview with Webpositer, 'El Matador' had this to say:

“Look, I can tell you that I have no doubt that in 2025, I will be the highest paid athlete in the world, I’ll be there. I’d be surprised if I didn’t do it and I have no doubt, really.”

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below:

However, achieving this ambitious goal hinges on factors beyond just his performances inside the cage. Standard UFC championship payouts are unlikely to propel him to the top of the Forbes list.

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Brian Ortega lobbies for featherweight title shot against Ilia Topuria

Brian Ortega has expressed his eagerness to challenge the newly crowned champion, Ilia Topuria. Ortega secured a dominant victory over Yair Rodriguez in their recent rematch, showcasing his readiness for another high-profile fight.

In an interview with Kanpai Media recently, ‘T-City’ had this to say:

"I’m training my a** off. I’m happy I didn’t have to get surgery or I wasn’t severely injured in this fight so I went right back to work. I’m still working."

Looking ahead, Ortega made his intentions clear:

"Yeah, let’s get it. Let’s get a fight in Spain man, I’m not against it and let’s go. If I could If I could snap my fingers and get the contract and he [Ilia] says yes, and Volkanovski doesn't take that fight... If he says no to them trying to rush him to fight, the UFC's got a man right here, and I'm sharp and I'm ready."

Check out Brian Ortega's comments below:

This potential matchup holds extra weight, considering Topuria recently called out Ortega as a suitable opponent if negotiations with Max Holloway for a title fight fell through.