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Ilia Topuria confirms plans to retire potentially in just 3 years, make UFC return in October fight

Newly-minted undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria claims he may call time on his unbeaten professional career as soon as…

Newly-minted undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria claims he may call time on his unbeaten professional career as soon as just 2027 – in the aftermath of his stunning knockout win over the dominant Alexander Volkanovski earlier this month at UFC 298.

Topuria, the current undisputed featherweight champion, headlined UFC 298 in Anaheim earlier this month, ending the featherweight title run of dominant gold holder, Volkanovski – who had ruled the roost over the division since 2019.

And campaigning for a UFC Spain outing as soon as this year, German-born champion, Topuria took part in a ceremonial kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid earlier this week – bringing his championship belt with him to the capital stadium.

Weighing up a slew of title defense opponents for his first outing as featherweight gold holder, Topuria has been linked with an immediate title rematch against Volkanovski, as well as a clash with former duel-weight champion, Conor McGregor.

However, off the back of his recent come-from-behind win over Yair Rodríguez at UFC Fight Night Mexico City last weekend, former title challenger, Brian Ortega has emerged as the bookie’s favorite to land a title fight with Topuria first and foremost.

Ilia Topuria plans retirement within 3 years time

And commenting on his immediate fighting future, Topuria claimed he would be willing to fight as soon as October of November before the close of the annum, however, issued a warning to fans that he’s likely set to retire by the time he’s 30, or 32 years old at the latest.

“Ilia Topuria told El Patridazo de COPE that he wants his first title defense to be in October or November and he wants to retire between the age of 30-32. He’s currently 27 years old.”

Who do you want to see Ilia Topuria fight in his first title defense?

Robert Whittaker laughs off near-KO loss to Paulo Costa in UFC 298 fight: ‘That spinning kick should’ve killed me’

Former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker explains his mindset heading into his recent fight with Paulo Costa. Following his…

Former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker explains his mindset heading into his recent fight with Paulo Costa.

Following his knockout loss against Dricus Du Plessis last July, there was questions on whether Whittaker was still the same fighter, if the years of campaigning at the top level had caught up to him. However, Whittaker would bounce back with a decision win over the bruising Paulo Costa at UFC 298 and would battle through adversity to do so.

Towards the end of the first round Costa would land a spinning wheel kick which would rock Robert Whittaker, leaving him limp legged staggering backwards to the cage.

Whittaker would recover well, pulling away and winning the last two rounds. Reacting to the victory, ‘The Reaper’ would make light of the tough moment and poke fun at his doubters.

“I’ve never been spinning wheel kicked in my life,” Whittaker explained on his MMArcade podcast. “His kicks were so fast in that first round.

“Everyone in comments, any comment anywhere, especially after the Dricus fight: Whittaker’s chin’s gone, he’s a wash,” he continued. “Mate, my chin’s back. I don’t know where it went on vacation, but it’s back, dude (laughs). He’s come back and he’s clocked in. That kick should have killed me.” (H/T MMA Mania)

What’s next for Robert Whittaker?

With the win, Whittaker puts himself firmly back into the title picture and could be one solid win away from another crack at the belt. Having already fought the rest of the top five, the logical next fight would be against Sean Strickland, who is also coming off a loss to Dricus Du Plessis.

Whittaker proved he still has something left in the tank, and with the ever-changing middleweight division, who knows what could happen.

Do you think Robert Whittaker will become UFC champion again?

Robert Whittaker laughs off near-KO loss to Paulo Costa in UFC 298 fight: ‘That spinning kick should’ve killed me’

Former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker explains his mindset heading into his recent fight with Paulo Costa. Following his…

Former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker explains his mindset heading into his recent fight with Paulo Costa.

Towards the end of the first round Costa would land a spinning wheel kick which would rock Robert Whittaker, leaving him limp legged staggering backwards to the cage.

Whittaker would recover well, pulling away and winning the last two rounds. Reacting to the victory, ‘The Reaper’ would make light of the tough moment and poke fun at his doubters.

“I’ve never been spinning wheel kicked in my life,” Whittaker explained on his MMArcade podcast. “His kicks were so fast in that first round.

What’s next for Robert Whittaker?

Whittaker proved he still has something left in the tank, and with the ever-changing middleweight division, who knows what could happen.

Do you think Robert Whittaker will become UFC champion again?

Robert Whittaker targets August return against Sean Strickland after UFC 298 win: ‘He’s in the sights’

Former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker has confirmed plans to make a return to the Octagon as soon as…

Former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker has confirmed plans to make a return to the Octagon as soon as August, targeting a fight against fellow former titleholder, Sean Strickland – after his unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa earlier this month at UFC 298.

Whittaker, who holds the number three rank in the middleweight pile, returned to the winner’s enclosure at UFC 298 earlier this month in Anaheim, turning in a decision win over former title chaser, Costa in the pair’s co-main event outing.

The walk came as Whittaker’s first since he featured on the main card of UFC 290 back in July during International Fight Week, where he suffered a stunning second round TKO loss to Dricus du Plessis – after the newly-crowned champion earned a stoppage win at the Octagon fence.

Robert Whittaker weighs up Sean Strickland fight

And welcoming the possibility of a rematch with Pretoria native in order to avenge his loss and strike gold, Whittaker claimed a potential title-eliminator against former titleholder, Strickland is also on his radar.

“I’m angling towards the gold,” Robert Whittaker said during an appearance on the MMArcade Podcast. “I wanna reclaim my belt, you know. And I would love to run it back with Dricus (du Plessis) – especially ‘cause he’s got the gold as well, so it’s two-in-one, right?”

“But I do understand that (Sean) Strickland is in – is in line, like in the sights a little bit,” Robert Whittaker explained. “Everyone’s talking about him a lot, he’s at the top. And that kinda gives me the path to the gol that I’m longing for. So, I’m not really fussed on the opponent at the moment.

Sidelined since January, Strickland most recently dropped a split decision loss to common-foe, du Plessis, in which he lost his middleweight title in the main event of UFC 297 in Canada.

Who do you thinks wins in a future fight: Robert Whittaker or Sean Strickland?

Brian Ortega opens as betting favorite as next foe for UFC star Ilia Topuria in title fight

Former two-time featherweight championship challenger, Brian Ortega has opened as a significant betting favorite to emerge as the next…

Former two-time featherweight championship challenger, Brian Ortega has opened as a significant betting favorite to emerge as the next chaser to the throne following the coronation of Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 earlier this month – beating out former champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and ex-duel-weight kingpin, Conor McGregor.

Ortega, a former two-time title challenger at 145 pounds, returned to the winner’s enclosure at UFC Fight Night Mexico City over the course of the weekend, turning in a third round arm-triangle choke submission win over former interim titleholder, Yair Rodríguez in the pair’s rematch.

As for Topuria, the Spaniard turned in a spectacular second round KO win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 earlier this month, ending the Australian perfect-promotional run at the featherweight limit, to snatch the crown at his first time of trying.

And weighing up a slew of potential suitors to his featherweight title next ahead of his newly-minted reign, Topuria is most likely to face off with grappling ace, Brian Ortega as per new odds released – with the latter opening as a +150 betting favorite to draw the 15-0 gold holder first and foremost.

Brian Ortega backed to fight Ilia Topuria next

With the ex-title challenger welcoming the opportunity to compete in a much-rumored first landing in Spain for the organization later htis year, fans and punters can use a host of bitcoin sports betting sites to bet on the possibility of Brian Ortega challenging Ilia Topuria for the undisputed featherweight champion.

Coming up short in a pair of championship fights with Max Holloway, as well as the above-mentioned, Volkanovski, Brian Ortega arguably came closest to stopping the Australian – with a late guillotine choke attempt in their 2021 title affair.

And striking a victory for the first time since a decision success against the now-retired, Chan Sung Jung the year prior with his submission victory against Rodríguez, Ortega, who holds the number three rank in the featherweight pile, has now primed himself for a fight with Topuria next.

Staking his claim for a first featherweight title defense in his residency in Spain, German-born champion, Topuria has weighed up fights with the likes of the above-mentioned duo of Volkanovski, and McGregor since his ascension – as well as a stunning lightweight title charge against pound-for-pound kingpin, Islam Makhachev.

Predicting a stunning win over the dominant Russian, Makhachev claimed the lightweight titleholder was “in trouble” if they ever share the Octagon in the future, before poking fun at his 2015 knockout loss to Brazilian stalwart, Adriano Martins.

Amongst other potential opponents on the list for Topuria, the Spaniard has been backed to fight the likes of surging long-time foe, Movsar Evloev, as well as former champion, Holloway – who features at UFC 300 in April, and even Rodríguez, who has found himself in the midst of a heated rivalry with the newly-minted gold holder in recent weeks.

Issuing a stark warning to Volkanovski who is pursuing a re-run against him, Topuria urged the New South Wales native to avoid a rematch, for his own “sake” and heath in the immediate aftermath of their UFC 298 grudge fight.

Who wins in a featherweight title fight: Ilia Topuria or Brian Ortega?

Alexander Volkanovski backed to make UFC return despite recent knockout loss: ‘He doesn’t have any symptoms’

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski appears to have recovered well following his loss to Ilia Topuria. Topuria would…

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski appears to have recovered well following his loss to Ilia Topuria.

Topuria would hand Volkanovski his second successive knockout in just three months earlier this month. Ever the competitor, Alexander Volkanvoski wants to get the rematch on but will have to take some time out after two heaving stoppage losses.

Alexander Volkanovski recovering well from KO loss at UFC 298

On a positive note, one of Alexander Volkanovski’s coaches Eugene Bareman said that the 35-year-old is showing good signs in terms of a concussion, but will still have to take a needed, and deserved break.

“In terms of his symptoms, he doesn’t have any symptoms,” Bareman said during an interview with Combat TV. “Which was not the case in the last knockout. There’s so many variables when it comes to having a knockout and how much, how many symptoms you suffer, and all of that. I don’t know the science behind it and I’m not gonna begin to try to understand it. But he seems to not be as affected by this concussion as he was by the last one. I won’t be able to tell you why.”

“He definitely needs to rest. He needs to rest his head. But … he needs to be sensible, but he also will be very keen to get that rematch this year.”

When Volkaonvski does return, Bareman believes that it should be in a rematch against Topuria. The City Kickboxing coach credits Volkaonvski for how he has held himself both in, and out, of the cage.

“I think he’s done everything that he needs to do as a champion, represented himself, his family, his team, and most of all the company well. He’s been a long-standing champion, he’s defended many times, fought through injuries, taken fights on short notice for the company. He checks every box there is in relation to getting an immediate rematch,” Bareman said.

“And one of the other important boxes he checks: is there a bigger fight to make than that fight in the division? And the answer is no, there’s not. So the team is doing everything we can to secure the rematch and we’ll do everything in our power to turn that result around.”

Will Alexander Volkanovski become UFC champion again?