Salome Zourabichvili, the President of Georgia, on Thursday awarded Ilia Topuria, a mixed martial arts wrestler who last month became the first athlete from the country to earn the title of the UFC World Featherweight Champion, with the Medal of Honour state prize, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

The President’s press service said Topuria, the winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the featherweight category, was awarded for his “special personal contribution to the promotion of mixed martial arts in the country and his successful sports activities”.

Earlier the same day Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili made the formal submission to the President to award Topuria with the state prize.

The wrestler arrived in Georgia on Monday at the invitation of Kobakhidze to watch the Euro 2024 qualifying match between Georgia and Luxembourg from the stands at Dinamo Arena stadium in the city and showcase his championship belt as part of his presence for the football game later on Thursday.

The MMA wrestler last month knocked out his Australian rival Alexander Volkanovski in the second round of the main event of UFC 298 to become the new Featherweight World Champion.