Topuria thanks Topuria for being so great: ‘Long live the Matador!’

It’s been a long hard road to the top, and Ilia Topuria would like to thank the person who was instrumental in getting him there: Ilia Topuria.

The UFC featherweight champion wrote a glowing love letter to himself on Instagram, and we gotta say this isn’t going to help his reputation amongst critics who think “El Matador” is a little full of himself for someone who hasn’t defended their belt yet.

“Today I want to express my gratitude to this person for providing me with everything I have,” he wrote in Spanish. “For supporting me to withstand any circumstance and for never losing faith in God and in the attraction of all good things to me. Always relying on me and giving me the life I now enjoy.”

“I want to thank myself for all the times I’ve respected myself, loved myself, forgiven myself. Long live the Matador that lives inside me!”

“I will always be proud and with a smile on my face, remembering all that I have accomplished,” he finished with the hashtag #FighterForever.

Topuria has good reason to be proud: he did what many of the best featherweights in the world tried to do but failed — he beat Alexander Volkanovski via violent KO. That was in February, and we’re still waiting for news on when the German-born Georgian fighter will compete again. Will it be a rematch against Volkanovski? Or will it be Max Holloway after “Blessed” stole the show at UFC 300?

Either fight will be a tough time for the rising star, who has been embraced whole-heartedly by Spanish football royalty. Fortunately, he has Ilia Topuria to rely on, and that’s all he needs to be successful even against the toughest of odds.