The UFC featherweight championship is making its way to Spain with a unique Georgian touch.
In the highly-anticipated main event of UFC 298, Ilia Topuria capitalized on his moment in the spotlight by delivering a knockout blow to Alexander Volkanovski at 3:32 of Round 2, securing the title. This thrilling bout served as the headliner for the pay-per-view event held at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) landed a powerful right hand early in Round 2, sealing his victory after a closely contested opening five minutes. As Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) circled around the cage, he walked straight into a left hand that rendered him unconscious.
Although follow-up shots were unnecessary, they rained down on Volkanovski. He remained unconscious on the canvas for a significant amount of time before finally rising to his feet to congratulate his opponent.
ILIA TOPURIA JUST STUNNED THE WORLD 😱 #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/PsjcpBigtP
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 18, 2024
At 27 years old, Topuria becomes the first fighter from Spain and Georgia to hold the title. Many believe he has the potential to become a rising superstar in a market that the UFC has yet to explore. In fact, UFC’s chief business officer, Hunter Campbell, traveled to Spain prior to the fight to negotiate with Topuria.
Topuria’s impressive victories also include wins against Josh Emmett and Bryce Mitchell.
This loss marks the first time Volkanovski has been defeated in the featherweight division during his UFC career. He has now suffered back-to-back knockouts, with his previous loss coming from Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title challenge in October.
Following the fight, Volkanovski expressed interest in a rematch against Topuria in Spain.
The latest results from UFC 298 are as follows:
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com