After more than a month of gripping the country with soccer fever, the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a conclusion on Sunday as Spain outclassed defending champions Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. This global spectacle, which takes place once every four years, left fans buzzing with excitement even after the final whistle. That held true for some of the UFC’s biggest stars as well, many of whom are avid soccer fans.

Irishman Conor McGregor became one of the first UFC stars to react to the Final. The former UFC two-division champ, who is currently nursing an ACL tear sustained during his UFC 329 rematch with Max Holloway, did not offer any critical assessment. Instead, he just called upon the almighty. 

“And the winner is… Christ!” McGregor posted on X.

‘The Notorious’ McGregor, as he’s known in UFC circles, is a devout Christian who actively practices and showcases his faith. For that reason, he connected Spain’s World Cup victory to his beliefs. Though his actual thoughts on the match itself remain largely unclear, Argentina’s defeat definitely cost him a significant amount of money.

Before the final, the former UFC champion placed a $100,000 bet on Lionel Messi’s squad to emerge victorious. He made the wager based on a fan’s prediction from years ago that Argentina would defeat Spain 3-2 within the allotted 90 minutes. Despite McGregor’s confidence, the Argentines suffered a crushing defeat thanks to a Ferran Torres goal in extra time, and he failed to cash in on the bet. Other UFC fighters, meanwhile, took a different, more soccer-focused approach in reacting to the game on social media.

Russian Islam Makhachev also reacted to the final. The Dagestani icon was in MetLife Stadium with his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, to watch Spain vs. Argentina before his first welterweight title defense against Ian Garry at UFC 330, which takes place on August 15. After the match ended, Makhachev shared a hilarious exchange with an Argentine fan by playfully trolling his country’s loss. 

“Hey, second place. You happy?” Islam asked the fan.

“Yeah, I’m happy because Ronaldo’s not here, Messi is here,” the fan replied.

 “Very bad game, honestly. Very boring, but it’s ok,” Islam responded.

Makhachev and his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, are huge soccer fans. The two have been spotted together at multiple soccer matches, most recently at the 2026 UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG. So, Makhachev’s attendance at the FIFA World Cup final came as little surprise.

After Makhachev, the former lightweight champion Ilia Topuria also reacted to the final, and he was clearly in a celebratory mood. ‘El Matador’s’ country lifted the World Cup for the first time in 16 years, with Spain previously winning the tournament in 2010 after defeating the Netherlands in South Africa.

“World Champions! Congratulations, team!” Topuria posted on social media after Spain’s memorable triumph.

Like Makhachev, Topuria is also known to be a passionate soccer fan. He’s a longtime supporter of Spanish giants Real Madrid and even had the opportunity to perform the ceremonial kickoff before a Real Madrid vs. Sevilla match after becoming the UFC featherweight champion.

Although the former UFC lightweight champion celebrated Spain’s victory, fellow lightweight Renato Moicano couldn’t resist taking a playful jab by joking that Topuria had been sacrificed in his loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC White House earlier this month, so Spain could lift the trophy. 

“Topuria was sacrificed at the White House so Spain could win the World Cup! It’s all clear now…,” Moicano posted on X  

Now, following the reactions from several UFC stars, some renowned names from the boxing world also shared their moments from the latest FIFA World Cup final. 

Terence Crawford, Mike Tyson, and Ryan Garcia share memorable moments from the FIFA World Cup Final

Among the star-studded lineup that attended the FIFA World Cup final, heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson was one of the biggest names. The 60-year-old has long been a renowned supporter of Argentina, with Lionel Messi being his favorite soccer player.

Tyson was understandably disappointed to see the South American team fall short. But that did not stop him from putting his boxing skills on display for popular internet streamer and supposed Cristiano Ronaldo-superfan IShowSpeed, while wearing a blue and white jersey.

“BREAKING: Speed just met Mike Tyson at the World Cup Final and showed him his boxing skills,” Speed HQ posted on X.

After that, Ryan Garcia was also spotted celebrating Spain’s victory. The Ring Magazine shared a clip of the WBC welterweight champion dancing with a group of Spanish fans on its X account shortly after the country defeated Lionel Messi’s team.

Last but not least, Terence Crawford also shared a post of himself watching the FIFA World Cup final from inside the stadium, and the retired boxing legend’s support was crystal clear as he wore Argentina’s jersey throughout the event.

With so many fighters reacting to Spain vs. Argentina, the World Cup final once again showcased its unparalleled reach across the sporting world, proving that the tournament remains a spectacle unlike any other.