In the world of mixed martial arts, anticipation is mounting as Alexander Volkanovski prepares to defend his title for the sixth time against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298. The fight, originally scheduled for January but delayed due to concussion protocols, is set for February 17.
Volkanovski's Road to UFC 298
Alexander Volkanovski is no stranger to the pressure of a title defense. His latest successful defense was a third-round TKO victory over Yair Rodriguez, demonstrating his power and strategy in the octagon. However, a recent setback has added an unexpected twist to his journey to UFC 298.
Volkanovski stepped up on short notice to face Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 after Charles Oliveira withdrew due to injury. In a surprising turn of events, Makhachev's head-kick knockout marked the first time Volkanovski has been stopped since his fourth pro fight in 2013. This led to the delay in his bout with Topuria, as Volkanovski needed time to recover and follow concussion protocols.
Regarding the delay, Volkanovski stated, "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. So I’ve got the right team around me, and we just thought that January was a little bit too soon.”
The Rise of Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria, currently holding the No. 5 position in the UFC featherweight rankings, is poised to challenge Volkanovski's reign. With an impressive record of six wins in all his UFC appearances, four of which ended inside the distance, Topuria has proven to be a formidable opponent. His dominant victory against Josh Emmett at UFC on ABC 5 last June only solidified his standing.
Anticipations for the Fight
Both fighters predict a first-round finish for the upcoming UFC 298 headliner, adding to the excitement and anticipation for this bout. Volkanovski acknowledges Topuria's skills, stating, "He's a powerful dude, he's good everywhere. He's not one-dimensional, he's obviously very well-rounded." Yet, he remains confident in his own abilities: "I just believe my skills and my understanding of the game is just gonna be that little bit too much for him."
The respect between the fighters is mutual, as evidenced by comments from Diego Lopes: "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."
As we await the confirmation of the city and venue for the UFC 298 showdown, fans worldwide are gearing up for what promises to be an electrifying match between two of the sport's top athletes.