In a historic turn of events at UFC 298, Ilia Topuria made a stunning statement by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in the second round, securing the UFC featherweight championship.
The thrilling main event unfolded at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., captivating fans worldwide.
Topuria has an unbeaten record of 15-0 in MMA and an impressive 7-0 in the UFC, showing his dominance in the Octagon. The fight came to a climax at 3:32 of the second round when Topuria landed a powerful right hand on Volkanovski, causing the Australian fighter to become unconscious. This electrifying moment marked Topuria's rise to the top of the featherweight division.
ILIA TOPURIA JUST SHOCKED THE WORLD 😱 #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/PsjcpBigtP
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 18, 2024
The 27-year-old Topuria, hailing from Spain with Georgian roots, etched his name in history as the first Spanish and Georgian fighter to claim a UFC title. Regarded as a potential superstar, Topuria has garnered attention, even prompting UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell to negotiate with him in Spain.
Topuria has solidified his status as a rising UFC star with notable victories against fighters like Josh Emmett and Bryce Mitchell.
On the flip side, Volkanovski faced a setback in his featherweight journey, suffering his first loss in the division during his UFC tenure. This defeat comes on the heels of a knockout loss to Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title challenge in October. The loss marks the conclusion of Volkanovski's remarkable title run, which began in 2019 when he defeated Max Holloway and went on to defend the belt five times. While he was once the top pound-for-pound fighter, Volkanovski will now need an extraordinary feat to reclaim that status in the UFC.
Ilia Topuria's victory adds a new chapter to the ever-evolving narrative of the UFC featherweight division, promising exciting matchups and challenges for the newly crowned champion.