Ilia Topuria Shares His Insights for Elite Featherweights
As the main event at UFC 298 on February 17 approaches, Ilia Topuria is gearing up to face Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title. The anticipation for this clash is immense, with Topuria entering as a slight underdog at -105 against the Australian. Nevertheless, Topuria exudes confidence in his ability to emerge victorious against Volkanovski.
In a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Topuria expressed his conviction that his victory over Volkanovski will be so decisive that a rematch won’t even be a consideration.
Looking ahead, Ilia Topuria envisions a future where he triumphs over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 and subsequently squares off against Conor McGregor in the headline bout for UFC Spain, no matter the weight class preferred by the Irish fighter. Topuria believes this matchup would captivate fans and attract interest from the UFC.
While Topuria’s aspirations may seem bold, he unequivocally states that Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, and Yair Rodriguez do not merit a shot at the championship title. According to Topuria, given their past defeats at the hands of Volkanovski, none of the aforementioned fighters deserve a title opportunity.
“I will defeat an opponent who has bested them thrice. It defies logic. Max, Yair, Brian Ortega, they can all retire. I will never grant them a chance to vie for the title,” Topuria insisted.
Despite the prevailing belief among fans that the victor of the Yair Rodriguez vs. Brian Ortega 2 bout at UFC Mexico City will secure the next title shot, Topuria refutes this claim. Instead, with Topuria dismissing Rodriguez, Ortega, and Holloway as contenders, Movsar Evloev emerges as the most likely challenger.
Prior to entertaining thoughts of facing McGregor or defending his inaugural title, Topuria must first focus on overcoming Volkanovski at UFC 298 on Feb. 17 in Anaheim, California.
With an unblemished record of 14-0, Ilia Topuria enters this fight following a dominant decision victory over Josh Emmett in June. Preceding this triumph, he secured a submission win against Bryce Mitchell. Within the UFC, Topuria boasts a flawless 6-0 record and has garnered victories over notable opponents such as Jai Herbert, Ryan Hall, Damon Jackson, and Youssef Zalal.