Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight elites Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria will clash TONIGHT (Sat., Feb. 17, 2024) at UFC 298 inside Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
In the history books, Volkanovski’s 2023 will be defined by his pair of battles versus Islam Makhachev. Ultimately, that history will show a pair of losses, even if the first bout was a stellar performance and the latter was a bad idea accepted on short-notice for a boatload of cash. Forgotten in the midst is an utter smashing of top Featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez over summer, a victory that demonstrated 145-pound Volkanovski remains a man to fear.
Topuria, for better or worse, has not an ounce of fear in his body. “El Matador” is brimming with confidence, an outcome of 14 straight victories and zero defeats in his professional career. Truly, Topuria has looked like a future champion since his UFC debut, and tonight we find out if the future is now, old man.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
Alexander Volkanovski
Record: 26-3
Key Wins: Max Holloway (UFC 276, UFC 251, UFC 245), Yair Rodriguez (UFC 290), Brian Ortega (UFC 266), Jose Aldo (UFC 237), Chad Mendes (UFC 232), Chan Sung Jung (UFC 273)
Key Losses: Islam Makhachev (UFC 290, UFC 294)
Keys to Victory: Volkanovski is one of the great competitors of our era. He’s consistently improved and developed his game even as champion, and this growth is combined with one of the sharpest minds in the sport.
Topuria has been excellent in the cage, seldom losing a round in his professional career. At the same time, he’s shown some weaknesses to his game and habits that Volkanovski can take advantage of. Topuria can be expected to bring something new to the table here for his first title shot, but there are core elements to his game that cannot be adjusted so easily.
Most notably, Topuria stands and moves like a boxer. His head movement and shoulder roll worked great against Josh Emmett, but Emmett doesn’t kick very often. Volkanovski, on the other hand, should be looking to destabilize Topuria’s wide stance as he moves forward. In addition, he should be chopping the outside leg as Topuria pivots, and low kicks to the inside and outside of Topuria’s leg will work to punish his head movement.
Once the low kick is established, I’d like to see Volkanovski finishing his combinations with high kicks. Again, Topuria slips and rolls more than most, and while that habit can create amazing counter punching opportunities, it could also see him duck into a head kick. Even if that doesn’t happen, high kicks will limit his head movement, making it easier for Volkanovski to land his punches.
Ilia Topuria
Record: 14-0
Key Wins: Josh Emmett (UFC Jacksonville), Bryce Mitchell (UFC 282), Ryan Hall (UFC 264), Damon Jackson (UFC Vegas 16), Jai Herbert (UFC London)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Topuria is a remarkable athlete. Fast, powerful, and well-conditioned, the Spanish talent has risen through the ranks quickly and run through most of his opposition on the strength of his rounded skill set.
The most notable advantage for Topuria here is raw athleticism. That’s not to say that Volkanovski isn’t a great athlete himself, but “El Matador” is eight years younger with fewer miles on him. I know its a point that has been talked to death, but youth matters, particularly late in fights when both men are worn.
A big part of that athletic gift is power. Topuria shuts off the lights in a manner that Volkanovski simply does not. If these two trade right hands until someone falls down, the Australian is probably in for a rough night.
Obviously, Volkanovski isn’t going to willingly participate in that kind of fight. For Topuria, then, the goal is to cut off the cage and extend exchanges. Volkanovski’s footwork is stellar, but even so, intelligent pressure, Topuria’s piercing jab, and some low kicks can create moments where “The Great” is backed into the fence.
Topuria has to make the most of those opportunities.
Bottom Line
This is a huge fight for the Featherweight division.
The stakes are high for Volkanovski. Under normal circumstances, a champion with his resume would surely receive an instant rematch if defeated. After two Lightweight losses in the last year, however, there’s no such guarantee. More than that pressure, Volkanovski’s message this fight week has been clear: he’s fighting to prove that his time at the top is far from over.
As for Topuria, he’s trying to become a super star. Dethroning Volkanovski goes a long way in making that dream come true, as victory likely unlocks a UFC event in Spain and certainly skyrockets his own fame. Featherweight has a great history of excellent champions, and Topuria is looking to begin his own reign as an undefeated kingpin.
At UFC 298, Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria will battle in the main event. Who leaves the cage with the title?
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 298 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
