In one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history, Ilia Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski in the second round of their featherweight title fight at UFC 298 in Anaheim, California. Topuria, who was a huge underdog coming into the fight, landed a devastating right hand that sent Volkanovski crashing to the canvas, ending his reign as the 145-pound king.
Topuria, who improved to 12-0 in his MMA career, became the first Georgian fighter to win a UFC title. He also extended his UFC record to 6-0, with five of those wins coming by stoppage. The 24-year-old phenom showed no fear or hesitation against Volkanovski, who had defended his belt twice against former champion Max Holloway.
Volkanovski, who suffered his first loss since 2013, was gracious in defeat and congratulated Topuria on his performance. The Australian fighter, who dropped to 22-2, said he would come back stronger and vowed to reclaim his title in the future.
The rise of Topuria
Topuria’s journey to the UFC title was nothing short of remarkable. He made his UFC debut in October 2020, taking a short-notice fight against Youssef Zalal and winning by unanimous decision. He followed that up with a first-round knockout of Damon Jackson in December 2020, earning his first performance bonus.
In 2021, Topuria continued his impressive run, submitting Ryan Hall in July and knocking out Movsar Evloev in November. Both of those wins earned him another performance bonus and a spot in the top 10 of the featherweight rankings. He was then offered the title shot against Volkanovski, who had no other clear challengers after beating Holloway twice.
Topuria accepted the opportunity without hesitation, saying he was ready to shock the world and become the new champion. He backed up his words with his actions, delivering a stunning knockout that will go down in UFC history.
The fallout of UFC 298
UFC 298 was a memorable event that featured several exciting fights and outcomes. Besides the main event, the card also saw:
- Robert Whittaker defeat Paulo Costa by unanimous decision in a middleweight clash. Whittaker, the former champion, cemented his status as the top contender for the belt currently held by Israel Adesanya.
- Ian Machado Garry edge out Geoff Neal by split decision in a welterweight bout. Garry, a highly touted prospect from Ireland, made his UFC debut and showcased his striking skills and toughness against the veteran Neal.
- Merab Dvalishvili outwork Henry Cejudo by unanimous decision in a bantamweight contest. Dvalishvili, who extended his winning streak to eight, used his relentless wrestling and pressure to neutralize the former two-division champion Cejudo, who came out of retirement for this fight.
- Anthony Hernandez submit Roman Kopylov by rear-naked choke in the second round of their middleweight fight. Hernandez, who has won five in a row, overcame a slow start and showed his durability and grappling prowess against the undefeated Kopylov.
- Amanda Lemos beat Mackenzie Dern by unanimous decision in a women’s strawweight fight. Lemos, who has won five straight in the UFC, outstruck and outclassed the highly regarded Dern, who suffered her second career loss.
UFC 298 was a thrilling event that delivered on its promise of high-level MMA action. The fans in attendance at the Honda Center witnessed history as Topuria became the new featherweight champion and stunned the MMA world.
