Despite being impressed with the President, Ilia Topuria is not really a fan of Donald Trump’s limited-edition shoes. Ahead of his first lightweight title defense against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, the Georgian-Spaniard went sneaker shopping on Complex’s YouTube show. Here he was asked about the President’s gold ‘Never Surrender’ high-tops, first launched at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia in 2024.

“I don’t like them,” Topuria told Complex’s YouTube show host. “I would love to see him wearing those.”

While he publicly shared his admiration for Trump after their meeting last month at the White House, calling him “kind,” the same feelings did not appear when sharing his thoughts about the Trump sneakers. The POTUS released the gold-colored ‘High-Top’ sneakers as a limited-edition product priced at $399 on his website. Since then, the shoes have received mixed reactions from designers and sneakerheads alike.

Dee Jackson called the product “not a cool design” and described the launch as a “marketing ploy” targeting younger consumers. Manufactured by 45Footwear, the sneakers caught attention for their flashy design, featuring an all-gold look with an American flag etched on the back. Although the sneakers reportedly sold out after their initial release, many have since criticized them for their gaudy and unsubtle look. It appears Topuria shared the sentiment.

However, on the other end of the spectrum, wealthy watch dealer Roman Sharf paid a staggering $9,000 for an autographed pair during an auction on the Whatnot app on the day of the launch.

Ilia Topuria’s critique of Trump’s shoes is not surprising given his own taste in footwear.

Ilia Topuria reveals what kind of shoes he likes to wear  

Other than smashing opponents inside the Octagon, Ilia Topuria is known for having a great fashion sense. Still, what someone likes to wear ultimately comes down to personal taste. Speaking about his own preferences, Topuria revealed that he prefers sneakers with simple colors that complement his outfit and do not stand out too much.

“Actually I like the basic colors,” Topuria said in Complex’s video. “Maximum two colors in the shoes. That’s what I like.”

Following Topuria’s admission, the host pointed out that the lightweight champion has a special liking for Nike Air Force 1s, one of the most popular sneaker lines from the footwear giant. However, ‘El Matador’ also revealed that he is a fan of Nike’s Travis Scott models, which typically range between $150 and $200.

“This one’s actually my favorite one with everything that I saw,” he added. “As I told you, I like the basic colors. Those ones and the Travis Scott models, I also like them.”

Well, it turns out Ilia Topuria is just one of many sneakerheads in the UFC. Other than him, Conor McGregor is also known for his love of sneakers. The former two-division champion even appeared in one of Complex’s viral sneaker-shopping episodes alongside Jake Gyllenhaal while promoting their movie Road House.