Key Information:
– Current UFC featherweight champion
– Holds regional MMA titles
– Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
– National wrestling gold medalist
– Achieved 13 knockout victories
– Secured 3 submission wins
– Recorded 7 first-round finishes
– Possesses knockout power
– Maintains a consistent pace and pressure
– Demonstrates excellent feints and footwork
– Displays accurate shot selection and counters
– Utilizes hard hooks and leg kicks
– Possesses solid wrestling ability
– Proficient in takedowns, transitions, and scrambles
– Exhibits a strong top game
In the upcoming UFC 298 main event, two of the top fighters in MMA today will face off for the featherweight title. Alexander Volkanovski, known for his background in wrestling and rugby, has transformed his striking game with the help of Brad Riddell and City Kickboxing. He now incorporates feints, footwork, and improved striking fundamentals into his aggressive style. Volkanovski’s combination approach has evolved, utilizing stance-debasing kicks and a long lead hand to finish off his opponents. However, it remains to be seen how he will handle Ilia Topuria, who possesses excellent jabbing and circling abilities.
Topuria, an aggressive fighter, initially came out as a bull rather than a matador. However, he has been steadily developing his striking game and is becoming a force to be reckoned with. He excels at cutting off the cage and maintains tight distances on the feet. Despite not being the tallest or longest fighter in his division, Topuria has a knack for punching with his opponents, meeting them in the middle. His left hooks, especially to the liver, are a significant weapon in his arsenal. Interestingly, Topuria shares a love for throwing left hooks to the body with boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez.
In summary, the upcoming featherweight title fight in UFC 298 promises to be a thrilling display of striking skills. Alexander Volkanovski has refined his approach, incorporating feints and improved footwork, while Ilia Topuria continues to evolve as an aggressive fighter with a strong arsenal of strikes. It will be fascinating to see how these two boxers match up in the octagon.
In his most recent fight against Josh Emmett, Ilia Topuria showcased his ability to channel his aggression effectively for the entire 25-minute duration. It was a display of boxing mastery against a devastating puncher. The impact of this performance by Topuria continues to resonate with me.
Topuria’s footwork and jab were impressive, but what stood out even more were his slick shoulder rolls, which served to protect his chin and lessen the power of Emmett’s punches. Additionally, Topuria’s movement and overall approach incorporated patent pull counters, reminiscent of Conor McGregor’s style and swagger.
Given that both fighters have grappling backgrounds, it wouldn’t be surprising if this featherweight bout transitions to the ground at some point during the fight. Topuria, a skilled submission grappler with a strong foundation in jiu-jitsu, has proven himself to be a formidable black belt with his finishing abilities on the mat.
From the front-headlock position, Topuria is a force to be reckoned with, seamlessly transitioning into his favored anaconda choke. His wrestling skills and ability to scramble are also noteworthy, showcasing his athleticism in these areas.
In the final round, Topuria once again demonstrated his grappling prowess, maintaining the turtle position even against Granby rolls. He showcased his skill in leg riding and wrist control, highlighting his evolution as a well-rounded fighter.
It will be interesting to see how Topuria’s grappling techniques fare against Volkanovski, should the latter choose to engage in that aspect of the fight. Volkanovski has shown great improvement in controlling takedowns and maintaining advantageous positions, particularly against the fence.
Even when taken down, Volkanovski displays excellent head positioning and utilizes smart details such as a low underhook to limit potential front-choke counters. His half-guard getups are executed flawlessly, showcasing his counter-grappling skills.
In conclusion, both Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski bring impressive grappling skills to the table, making their upcoming fight an intriguing matchup.
In terms of offense, Volkanovski appears to adhere to these patterns, favoring more efficient techniques like inside trips from the clinch rather than the traditional double and single-leg takedowns against the fence that he used to prefer. It will be interesting to see if the champion chooses to revert back to the latter option, as single-legs seem to be the most viable takedown path against a tenacious athlete like Topuria.
Although the oddsmakers initially favored the champion slightly more, there has been a gradual influx of public money on the challenger, with Volkanovski listed at -125 and Topuria at +100 according to FanDuel.
The initial booking of this fight gave me vibes reminiscent of the Anderson Silva-Chris Weidman matchup, and considering the recent struggles that Volkanovski has faced both inside and outside of the cage, I can understand why there is support for Topuria.
In addition to the fact that Volkanovski is returning relatively quickly after a stoppage loss in a higher weight class, Topuria is one of the few fighters who can match the pound-for-pound great in terms of speed and striking ability.
If Topuria’s tendency to start fast allows him to gain an early advantage over Volkanovski, it would not be surprising to see the Georgian fighter’s killer instinct enable him to snatch the champion’s title away this Saturday.
However, despite both fighters sharing vulnerabilities to kicks due to their dipping tendencies and boxing-focused stances, I believe that Volkanovski is the superior kicker between the two.
Volkanovski also possesses a more skilled lead hand, which could be advantageous considering Topuria’s susceptibility to left-sided shots. And if Volkanovski decides to mix things up with his wrestling, I believe he has the better endurance and defensive awareness to avoid Topuria’s submission skills.
For these reasons, I predict that Volkanovski will weather the initial storm and make the necessary adjustments throughout the fight to secure a competitive but decisive victory on the scorecards.
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com