Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria Analysis | Does Alex gets KO’d 2nd round ?

The second PPV of 2024 is here. UFC 298 lands in Anaheim, California on Saturday night with a loaded fight card sure to delight fans after a slow start to the year. The featherweight title is up for grabs when champion Alexander Volkanovski looks to turn away his latest challenger in Ilia Topuria in the main event. Volkanovski has remarkably held the title for over four years despite a pair of challenges against lightweight champ Islam Makhachev where he came up short. It's been a while since Volkanovski faced this much doubt for a featherweight title defense. Volkanovski is a slight betting favorite heading to the Honda Center in Anaheim. It's a narrow margin considering his status to some as MMA's greatest featherweight, but he's facing one of the sport's fastest-rising stars. Topuria is a featherweight force with 12 stoppages in 14 undefeated fights. Damage is guaranteed even when going the distance. Just ask Josh Emmett, who Topuria scored an unfathomable 50-42 scorecard against to earn his title shot. Volkanovski's relatively quick turnaround after getting head-kicked by Makhachev in October only compacts concerns. "[I see myself] as one of the greatest in the featherweight division," Topuria said during Wednesday's UFC 298 media day. "They are going to remember me, too, as they remember Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor and Alex Volkanovski. I'm going to put myself in that book." #alexandervolkanovski #ufc298 #volkanovskitopuria