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The featherweight strap is on the line in Saturday night’s main event, as defending champion Alexander Volkanovski takes on the challenge of Ilia Topuria.
Volkanovski returns to the division he has ruled since late 2019, looking to remain undefeated in the UFC’s 145-pound weight class. He failed in two attempts to wrest the lightweight title from Islam Makhachev last year, fighting him to the finish in a Fight of the Year clash at UFC 290 in February before being beaten on short notice in the fall at UFC 294, but he reminded everyone of his dominance between the two by posting a third-round stoppage victory over interim champion Yair Rodriguez.
How to watch UFC 298 in your country
Topuria, 27, is undefeated in 14 fights and brimming with confidence. He pushed his Octagon record to 6-0 in June with a unanimous decision victory over Josh Emmett, and showed as he moved up the division ladder that he was just as dangerous throwing hands or pursuing punches. replacements.
Simply based on their resume, this is a fascinating fight – Volkanovski has been a dominant champion and has overcome every challenge he has faced, his victories becoming more and more emphatic as he is on the throne, while Topuria fights with the self-confidence and panache of someone who has never tasted defeat and who therefore always believes himself to be invincible.
But the competition took on more weight and intrigue after Volkanovski’s loss to Makhachev at UFC 294, where he was stopped in the first round and discussed his struggles with concentration and direction when not not locked up in a combat camp. Mix in the fact that he’s now 35 and you get a real “potential passing of the torch” feel with this one, which is why it’s such a compelling match to close out the series.
Other main card fights
Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and former title challenger Paulo Costa will finally share the Octagon in Saturday’s penultimate pairing.
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