Ilia Topuria is preparing for a momentous occasion in the brutal world of mixed martial arts as he gets ready to take on UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 on February 17. With a perfect 14-0 record, Topuria is full of confidence and has found a key area of the fight where he thinks he can change the outcome against the current champion.
Topuria, who began his career with seven straight submission victories, is well-known for his strong ground game and understands the value of his grappling abilities in the impending title fight. He stated his opinion that his advantage is on the ground in a recent interview with the Overdogs Podcast. He mentioned Volkanovski’s skill at striking but alluded to a weakness in his wrestling technique.
“He’s not a natural wrestler, but he’s a good striker.” or he’s not skilled in the field,” Topuria declared with assurance. “I’m going to make a difference there.”
Volkanovski is recovering quickly for UFC 298 after suffering a first-round knockout loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 294. Topuria maintains his attention on his own planning and strategy, saying, “For me, what happened in his last fight doesn’t change anything,” despite the fact that some may view this as a possible weakness. I am aware that the focus, training, and outcome will all be the same. I plan to train like the world’s best, and I have a good feeling that I will prevail.
Unbeaten Topuria is focused intently on the impending title fight and won’t let Volkanovski’s recent defeat change how he approaches the fight. As a matter of fact, Topuria thinks that the champion may feel a little less pressure after the knockout loss.
In actuality, he has nothing to lose. He has already fallen short. I have no idea how that feels, he already knows, and I’d better not ever experience it firsthand.
But Topuria’s goals extend beyond winning the featherweight championship. He declares his victory and plans to defend the title against featherweight legend Max Holloway in a brazen declaration. With his eyes focused on the future, Topuria sees himself defeating Volkanovski and then facing Holloway in a historic encounter on his native Spain.
“So, I believe that on February 17th, I will defeat Volk, and after that, I will face Max Holloway here in Spain. Right now, I think I’m going to achieve that goal.
With the featherweight class about to undergo a major upheaval and the quiet but fierce Topuria hoping to make his mark in UFC history, Topuria’s self-assurance and resolve are shining through in the run-up to UFC 298. Ilia Topuria is prepared for his rendezvous with fate; the scene is set, the objective is evident.
