Tag: ilia topuria

Newly-minted undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria may have drawn the lines to the wire in his pick ‘em fight with Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 over the course of the weekend, however, the new kingpin has opened as a clear betting favorite to beat the Australian in an immediate rematch. 

Topuria, who improved to 15-0 as a professional over the weekend in Anaheim, became the first Spaniard to land Octagon gold in the main event of UFC 298 – stopping the lengthy title reign of Volkanovski with a devastating second round KO win.

Seeing his attempted sixth successful defense of the featherweight crown shattered as a result, Volkanovski’s defeat to Topuria followed a similarly brutal first round KO loss to Islam Makhachev just last October, in the pair’s short-notice lightweight title rematch.

Ilia Topuria opens as betting favorite to beat Alex Volkanovski in rematch

And with betting odds poised for release on Bodog Sportsbook, German-born champion, Ilia Topuria has opened as a stunning -240 betting favorite to beat the +205 betting underdog, Alexander Volkanovski if they share the Octagon immediately again. 

Suggesting the possibility of a return to his residence in Spain for a promotional-first event, Topuria has staked his claim for a mega-fight with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor at any weight in his next Octagon walk, however, Volkanovski has also requested his own re-run first and foremost.

And welcoming the idea of a trip to Europe for his next walk, Volkanovski appeared all ears to a UFC Spain outing – potentially as the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Volkanovski claims a return later this year against Topuria would be perfect timing for him. 

“Next time it’ll be different, but I’m going to just have a little bit of a rest,” Alexander Volkanovski said after UFC 298. “I definitely want that rematch [with Ilia Topuria]. Spain, what I’m hearing, is gonna happen. Dana (White) wants Spain. Obviously, Ilia wants Spain.”

“That probably won’t be until later this year, so the timing would be perfect for me to spend time with the fam, rest up a little bit, look after myself and then we’ll get back in there,” Alexander Volkanovski explained. “We’ll make it right.” 

And prior to UFC 298, Topuria shut down the chances of title fights against the likes of Max Holloway, Yair Rodriguez and Brian Ortega in the future – and remains hellbent on luring former divisional titleholder, McGregor back to the Octagon – at any weight possible.

“Dana (White), it’s showtime, it’s time to take the UFC to Spain,” Ilia Topuria said after his knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski. “And, Conor McGregor: If you still have some b*lls, I’ll be waiting for you in Spain.” 

Unbeaten at the featherweight limit during his Octagon tenure prior to his knockout loss to Topuria, Joe Lopez trainee, Volkanovski had successfully defended the title against Max Holloway twice, as well as the above-mentioned pair of Rodriguez, and Ortega, and a dominant knockout win over Chan Sung Jung saw him successfully retain the throne again. 

Can Ilia Topuria beat Alex Volkanovski for a second time in a rematch?

Off the back of his shocking featherweight championship loss at UFC 298 over the course of the weekend, Australian veteran, Alexander Volkanovski has vowed to land himself an immediate title fight rematch with Ilia Topuria, if the promotion elects to bring the Octagon to Spain for the first time in it’s history.

Volkanovski, the former pound-for-pound number one ranked fighter under the promotion’s banner, saw his promotional-perfect featherweight division run, as well as his five-fight successful title defense reign come to a shattering end at UFC 298 over the course of the weekend.

Returning to the limit in Anaheim following an October high-kick and strikes KO loss to Islam Makhachev in a short-notice lightweight title re-run, Volkanovski was dropped in the second round by Georgian-Spaniard, Topuria – who backed the champion to the fence, before unleashing a stunning right hook, sending him to the canvas unconscious.

Alexander Volkanovski eyes UFC Spain return

And warned against his hasty return against Topuria at UFC 298 following his knockout defeat to pound-for-pound kingpin, Makhachev, Volkanovski has vowed to chase an immediate rematch with the newly-minted Topuria, with all eyes on a UFC Spain debut for the organization – potentially at the magnificent Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. 

“Next time it’ll be different, but I’m going to just have a little bit of a rest,” Alexander Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel after UFC 298. “I definitely want that rematch [with Ilia Topuria]. Spain, what I’m hearing, is gonna happen. Dana (White) wants Spain. Obviously, Ilia wants Spain.”

“That probably won’t be until later this year, so the timing would be perfect for me to spend time with the fa, rest up a little bit, look after myself and then we’ll get back in there,” Alexander Volkanovski explained. “We’ll make it right.”

Do you think Alexander Volkanovski beats Ilia Topuria in a title rematch? 

Former UFC featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski reflects on devastating knockout loss suffered against Ilia Topuria last night.

After over three years as featherweight champion, Volkanovski would drop his title to Topuria after the 27-year-old landed a brutal right hand not long into the second round. 

Alexander Volkanovski heaps praise on Ilia Topuria

Volkanovski, now on back-to-back losses, was ever the professional when discussing the loss. The fan faviroute credited Topuria for his performance and gave no excuses.

“You can’t take anything away from Topuria,” Alexander Volkanovski said during his post-fight press conference. “If he puts a hand on you like that, you’re going to go down. I don’t care, that’s just that.

“That was a clean right hand and I think no matter who you are, you let one of those land on your chin while you’re caught there, you’re probably going down. Don’t let him catch you, that’s what that was. He caught me, so I won’t take nothing away from him. I’m not going to sit there and say it was this or it was that. I felt great. Camp was great. I felt good in there.”

Volkanovski came into the Topuria fight just three months after being knocked out after being on the receiving end of a head kick from Islam Makhachev. When comparing the two, Volkanovski admits that unlike the Makhachev, which he took on short notice, he felt prepared and ready but Topuria’s power proved just too potent.

“This one, I was high spirits the whole way, I’m still in high spirits. He caught me, that’s that,” Volkanovski continued.

“I felt good in there, I felt like I’d seen everything early, but he ended up catching me. I was pretty comfortable in the first round and then we started being like, alright we’ll start to do more. I was just about to do more and he caught me, so that’s just the game. I’m pretty confident we were probably up until then, but that’s just the game.”

Volkaonvski will likely take time out after two back-to-back stoppages but has proven to be a highly competitive and motivated fighter. He will be back. 

What would you like to see Alexander Volkanovski do next? 

Unbeaten Georgian featherweight, Ilia Topuria has landed the undisputed divisional throne tonight in blistering circumstances, landing a thunderous overhand right KO win over Alexander Volkanovski to win the title in the pair’s UFC 298 headliner in Anaheim, California.

Topuria, who entered his first championship fight tonight on the West Coast, ends the long-standing featherweight title reign of Australian favorite, Volkanovski — preventing the Joe Lopez trainee from landing his sixth successful championship defense at the featherweight limit.

Landing a slew of leg kicks to likely win the opening rounds, Georgian-Spaniard, Topuria rushed Volkanovski to the fence midway through the second round, unleashing with a huge overhand right, slumping the New South Wales native to the canvas with a hellacious knockout win — capturing the divisional title and improving to 15-0 as a professional.

And in the immediate aftermath of his title ascension, Topuria urged UFC brass to debut the Octagon at an eve tu in Spain — before offering to defend his championship in a fight with former two-division gold holder, Conor McGregor in his first attempted championship defense.

Below, catch the highlights from Ilia Topuria’s KO win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298

HE IS KING @TOPURIAILIA IS YOUR NEW FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/eKRjZsP7yI

— UFC (@ufc) February 18, 2024