“El matador” kept his promise of winning the MMA belt with the Spanish flag around his neck and would soon become a global media phenomenon. The Hispanic-Georgian Ilia Topuria was proclaimed UFC world champion in the featherweight category after taking the title from the Australian Alexander Volkanovski thanks to a KO in the second round. From that moment on, every phrase and every gesture of the fighter instantly goes viral. But If there is something that has not stopped being talked about, it is his patriotism and love for Spain.
Proof of it It is the madness that was unleashed on networks with the video in which Ilia kisses the Spanish flags after leaving the octagon as champion.
Look, you red shit, how the moment when, after being proclaimed Champion, he kisses the flag of Spain bothers you.
You already have someone else to hate.
🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZPN1rJW53x— jhoncrack.🇪🇸 (@Jhoncrack_3) February 18, 2024
“El Matador” gave Spain a historic feat but he did not do it alone. Many Spaniards surrounded him with their flags. Something that, without a doubt, gave strength to a fighter who has always shown his love for Spain… That's why he wanted to thank him by eating the fans' flags with kisses. A video that has caused a real revolution in “X”.
His statements about how he would defend Spain if there were a world revolution, defining our country as a gift from God or warning those who dare to offend the Spanish flag that they will pay for their words or actions have resonated deeply with fans.
But Topuria still wanted more to reinforce his patriotism and that is why he confessed that his dream was to have the Spanish DNI and that he would transfer it to Pedro Sánchez. And the fact is that El Matador, despite proclaiming to the four winds his love for Spain and his feeling of belonging to our country, does not have Spanish nationality.
And said and done. The President of the Government did not take long to pick up the gauntlet. “Your effort, dedication and perseverance have led you to fulfill one of your dreams. The second will also become a reality very soon. “Your love for Spain will be reflected in your Spanish ID.”said Sánchez during his meeting with the fighter in Moncloa.
A dream and a resignation
However, to obtain it, Topuria I will have to make an important resignation.
Why doesn't Topuria have a Spanish DNI if he has been living in our country for more than 12 years if the law requires 10? A person can obtain Spanish nationality in several ways: having resided in Spain for 10 years continuously, by Charter of Nature – granted by the Government through a Royal Decree -, by possession of the State – whoever has possessed and used Spanish nationality for 10 years and has had a legal Title registered in the Civil Registry—, or by option (those who are or have been subject to the Patria Potestad of a Spaniard, or people with a Spanish father or mother born in Spain).
But in the case of Topuria the key is different. Spain does not have a dual nationality agreement with Georgia. You will automatically receive nationality by Nature Card. According to the document from the Ministry of Justice “This form of Acquisition of Nationality is ex-gratia and is not subject to the General Rules of Administrative Procedure. It will be granted or not at the discretion of the Government by Royal Decree, after assessing the concurrence of exceptional circumstances.”
Upon receiving the nationality of our country, Topuria would have to renounce the Georgian one, because Spain does not have a dual nationality agreement with that nation. Furthermore, Georgia does not allow its citizens to obtain dual citizenship with another country.
But the fighter who has taken Spain to the top of the UFC is willing to do it.