In the world of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), anticipation is mounting for a thrilling clash. Alexander Volkanovski, the reigning champion, is preparing to square off against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 on February 17. This will mark Volkanovski's sixth title defense, with his latest victory being a third-round TKO over Yair Rodriguez.
Volkanovski's Journey
Volkanovski has been a dominant force in the featherweight division. His reign has been marked by impressive victories and an unwavering determination to remain at the top. However, the upcoming fight holds a particular significance for him. It follows a knockout loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, which was the first time Volkanovski had been stopped since his fourth pro fight back in 2013.
The bout with Makhachev came about when Charles Oliveira withdrew due to injury, and Volkanovski stepped up on short notice. Reflecting on this, he said, "Yeah, obviously, it was scheduled for January... We want to follow all protocols and do everything right, obviously, after the last one and I'm lucky enough to have a great team around me, who've dealt with a lot of concussions in football and what-not."
Rising Star Topuria
Ilia Topuria, on the other hand, has been making waves in the UFC. The fighter has won all six of his UFC appearances, with four of those wins ending inside the distance. Topuria currently holds the No. 5 position in the UFC featherweight rankings, following a dominant victory against Josh Emmett at UFC on ABC 5 last June.
Anticipation Building for the Showdown
Both fighters are confident of a first-round finish for the UFC 298 headliner. Volkanovski, in particular, has high praise for his opponent. "He's a powerful dude, he's good everywhere. He's not one-dimensional, he's obviously very well-rounded," said Volkanovski about Topuria. Despite this, the champion believes his understanding of the game will give him the edge. "I just believe my skills and my understanding of the game is just gonna be that little bit too much for him."
Diego Lopes, a keen observer of the sport, gave his take on Volkanovski's previous fight. "All respect to him for taking the fight on ten days' notice... He wasn't prepared for this fight. But yeah, it was surprising to see how Makhachev finished him. I think we all expected Makhachev to wrestle him all the fight."
The venue for the UFC 298 showdown between Volkanovski and Topuria is yet to be confirmed. However, with both fighters predicting a thrilling first-round finish, fans can expect an electrifying encounter wherever it takes place.