Ilia Topuria faced off against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 on February 17, 2024, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Topuria entered the bout with immense confidence, despite doubts from fans due to Volkanovski’s lengthy reign as featherweight champion.
However, Topuria’s self-belief proved justified as he delivered a stunning performance on fight night. In the second round, Topuria landed a devastating knockout blow on Alexander Volkanovski, leaving him unconscious.
Topuria effectively cut off the cage, cornering Volkanovski and unleashing a barrage of strikes. Despite Volkanovski’s defensive efforts, one of Topuria’s strikes found its mark, ending the fight spectacularly.
Following his victory, Topuria received widespread support, with Spanish sporting icons like footballer Sergio Ramos seen showing their support for him at previous UFC events. Additionally, Spanish tennis superstars took to social media to congratulate Topuria on his title conquest. Rafael Nadal wrote:
“Congratulations, champion!”
Carlos Alcaraz also extended his congratulations to Topuria, writing:
“Brutal @iliatopuria! Congratulations!!!”
The posts from these tennis superstars were shared by TNT Sports’ official UFC page, @ufcontnt.
