After back-to-back forgettable run-of-the-mill occasions inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, Final Combating Championship (UFC) travels to Honda Heart in Anaheim, Calif., for its second pay-per-view (PPV) occasion of 2024, UFC 298.
In UFC 298’s major occasion, Featherweight kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski, places his title on the road towards No. 3-ranked — and supremely assured — 145-pound contender, Ilia Topuria. Within the co-headliner, Robert Whittaker takes on Paulo Costa in a pivotal Middleweight matchup.
UFC 298 has a ton of enjoyable matchups up and down the cardboard, so earlier than all of it goes down tomorrow night (Sat., Feb. 17, 2023), let’s take a look at some random storylines, tidbits and statistics forward of showtime …
Protection Off A Loss
It’s a uncommon sight for a champion, however Volkanovski is defending his Featherweight championship whereas coming off a knockout loss. The one champion in latest reminiscence who was coming off a loss right into a title struggle is Israel Adesanya — when he misplaced to Jan Blachowicz — after which fought Marvin Vettori at UFC 263. Adesanya ended up successful and defending … will Volkanovski do the identical?
Over 35 Curse?
It has been analyzed, dissected and talked about to demise, however UFC champions who’re 170 kilos or much less and who older than age 35 have amassed a 2-21 report in 31 years. The one UFC champion to beat the “35 curse” was Tyron Woodley … and he did it twice.
Volkanovski may be very conscious of the curse and has even made a skit for it:
Fundamental Occasion(s)
UFC 298 will likely be Volkanovki’s fifth major occasion. He has headlined UFC 266, UFC 273, UFC 284, UFC 290 and UFC 294.
In the meantime, UFC 298 will likely be Topuria’s second major occasion … his solely different headlining spot was UFC Jacksonville towards Josh Emmett.
Supremely Assured
Combined martial arts (MMA) fighters have stated it time and time once more — it’s important to be assured going right into a struggle or else why are you combating?
Topuria, although, is perhaps overconfident — he already has “UFC World Champion” in his Instagram bio, in addition to “15-0.” He has additionally predicted a first-round knockout and that he’s going to struggle Conor McGregor quickly.
Sheesh.
Subsequent UFC Celebrity?
If Topuria pulls the upset and defeats Volkanovski, UFC has its subsequent worldwide tremendous star on its arms. In a McGregor-less UFC world, it has been robust for the promotion to land its subsequent star. Positive, Sean O’Malley, Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya are stable field workplace attracts, but it surely looks like solely MMA and hardcore sports activities followers find out about them.
Topuria talks trash, speaks nicely (three languages), seems to be the half, and is a enjoyable fighter with quite a few finishes. Plus, he’s already an enormous athletic star in Spain.
ESPN reporter, Carlos Legaspi — who has coated Topuria for a number of years — advised MMAMania.com, “Ilia’s numbers in social media have saved rising since his UFC debut now he has an important staff backing that up by way of advertising and marketing and media publicity. He launched MMA to basic audiences in Spain in a method solely Rafael Nadal did with tennis and Fernando Alonso with System 1. If he retains enhancing his English, he can attain surprising ranges of stardom. In spite of everything, he could make historical past in a method that solely Conor McGregor did when he completed José Aldo years in the past in the identical division.”
The Residence Of Disneyland
UFC returns to Anaheim for the primary time in two years. The final occasion held inside Honda Heart was UFC 270 (a.okay.a. Francis Ngannou’s closing struggle contained in the Octagon). Ngannou defeated Ciryl Gane after 5 rounds … with a badly injured leg (watch highlights). As well as, Deiveson Figueiredo scored a win over Brandon Moreno to regain Flyweight gold.
Will ‘The Eraser’ Present Up?
It’s Paulo Costa struggle week, and meaning struggle followers should fear if there will likely be a last-minute cancelation. I gained’t consider he’s even competing till he steps into the cage with Robert Whittaker. All indicators say he’s a go, however who actually is aware of.
It’s a huge struggle for Costa as a result of if he defeats Whittaker, he can throw his identify into the hat for a Middleweight title struggle towards new kingpin, Dricus Du Plessis. Or, what a couple of showdown towards Sean Strickland (YES PLEASE!)?
In the meantime, Wwth a loss, he tumbles down the 185-pound line and can struggle an up-and-comer.
Aussie Bounce Again
Similar to his opponent Costa, Whittaker has rather a lot driving on his struggle at UFC 298. He has misplaced two out of his final three fights, and in his most up-to-date struggle, he was completed by present champion Du Plessis (watch it).
It might be loopy to suppose as a result of he’s nonetheless solely 33 years previous, however this may very well be his closing title run, and with a loss, it will be detrimental. Nonetheless, with a win, he’s proper again within the combine — particularly with a brand new champion he hasn’t misplaced to twice.
BAD BLOOD
Geoff Neal vs. Ian Garry — the “featured bout” of UFC 298 — is lastly happening after being scrapped final 12 months at UFC 292. The 2 fighters don’t like one another — in any respect — particularly after Garry printed out and wore Neal’s mugshot on his t-shirt.
There was trash speak back-and-forth between the 2 and it’ll proceed to happen all struggle week.
Step Up For ‘The Future’
Garry’s struggle this weekend is an enormous step for the Irish fighter, however it’s a pure one. Garry has been slowly competing towards higher fighters every trip and Neal will likely be his hardest check to this point.
Neal went toe-to-toe with No. 3-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov for 3 rounds earlier than lastly dropping through submission (watch it). Neal has fought much better competitors than Garry and is a real UFC veteran at this level.
With a win over Neal at UFC 298, Garry will lastly announce himself as a real Welterweight title contender and can set himself up for an enormous struggle with title implications.
Title Shot On The Line
Let’s be trustworthy, Merab Dvalishvili must be combating Sean O’Malley for the Bantamweight championship subsequent month at UFC 299; as an alternative, he faces former “champ-champ,” Henry Cejudo, and he’s placing his title shot on the road.
Dvalishvili is driving a nine-fight win streak, and if he wins, he ought to get O’Malley subsequent. If he loses, he’ll most likely by no means get a title shot.
All Or Nothing!
Cejudo revealed throughout UFC 298 media day that if he loses on Saturday he’ll 100% retire; nevertheless, if he wins, he needs to struggle for the Bantamweight title subsequent after which go as much as Featherweight and attempt to get a 3rd title … the strain is all on his shoulders.
Cejudo is coming off an excellent shut cut up resolution loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288.
Shot At The Rankings
After 4 straight knockouts, Roman Kopylov will get a shot on the Prime 15 Middleweight rankings when he faces No. 15-seeded Anthony Hernandez, who can also be on a four-fight win streak.
The matchup is a basic “Striker vs. Grappler” and it’s a very enjoyable one on paper.
Whatcha Doing, Dern?
Mackenzie Dern is stepping in on only one month’s discover to struggle former Flyweight title challenger, Amanda Lemos, who can also be ranked No. 3.
Whereas it makes a ton of sense for Dern as a result of, with a win, she strikes to No. 3 within the rankings, it’s a questionable alternative as a result of Lemos hits laborious. Dern was completed through strikes at UFC 295 towards Jessica Andrade (watch highlights), and an argument may be made that Lemos hits more durable.
With Dern’s horrible takedown means, it’s a scary conflict of types. And if she will get knocked out once more, she will be able to kiss her title aspirations goodbye.
Welcome To UFC!
5 fighters are making their UFC debuts this weekend at UFC 298:
Carlos Vera (11-3) takes on Rinya Nakamura, who’s one in every of our fighters to look at this 12 months. Vera competed on The Final Fighter (TUF) 31, dropping to Brad Katona within the opening spherical. He’s driving a four-fight win streak.
Zhang Mingyang (16-6) fights fellow newcomer Brendson Ribeiro (15-5). The pair of Gentle Heavyweights have been alleged to struggle on the deliberate UFC Shanghai; nevertheless, as soon as that occasion was scrapped they have been rebooked for UFC 298. Mingyang holds a 100% end fee with 10 knockouts, whereas Ribeiro additionally holds a 100% end fee with 9 knockouts.
Danny Barlow (7-0) debuts towards Josh Quinlan. Barlow is coming off a contract-winning efficiency on season seven of Contender Collection towards Raheam Forest, which he gained through first spherical knockout. Barlow holds a 70 % end fee with 4 knockouts and one submission.
Oban Elliot (9-2), a pal of Sound & Pound, takes on Val Woodburn. Elliott can also be coming off a contract-winning efficiency on season seven of Contender Collection towards Kaik Brito. “The Welsh Gangster” is driving a five-fight win streak.
Quick Discover Warriors
4 fighters are taking fights on shorter discover than a full camp: Kopylov, Dern, Vera and Quinlan
Rebound
Quinlan is coming off his first skilled loss, which can also be fascinating to see how an expert athlete offers with it. Typically it’s the neatest thing to occur to them or it’s detrimental.
Quinlan advised MMAMania.com that the loss relieved the strain of enthusiastic about being undefeated, and it gave him time to mirror and get higher.
Shifting Down
Woodburn is transferring right down to Welterweight after eight fights at Middleweight and Gentle Heavyweight. At 5’8” it is smart why “The Animal” would select to go down in weight as he will likely be undersized towards many of the different Welterweights.
Woodburn is coming off a 38-second knockout loss towards Bo Nickal and will likely be welcoming Elliott to the UFC.
Winners And Losers
Fourteen fighters are coming off wins, whereas 10 are coming off losses.
Multi-Divisions
Listed below are the divisions that will likely be on show this Saturday:
One Heavyweight struggle
One Gentle Heavyweight struggle
Two Middleweight fights
Three Welterweight fights
One Featherweight struggle
Two Bantamweight fights
One girls’s Flyweight struggle
One girls’s Strawweight struggle
Beta Canine
In response to DraftKings, UFC 298’s “largest” underdog is Vera at +800.
LIVE! Watch UFC 298 PPV On ESPN+ Right here!
WORLD FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP! Final Combating Championship (UFC) returns to Honda Heart in Anaheim, Calif., on Sat., Feb. 17, 2024, for the primary time in additional than two years with its newest pay-per-view (PPV) present. Within the ESPN+-streamed PPV major occasion, reigning Featherweight roost-ruler, Alexander Volkanovski, will defend his 145-pound strap towards undefeated surging Spanish contender, Ilia Topuria. As well as, former Middleweight kingpin, Robert Whittaker, will lastly sq. off with mercurial mauler, Paulo Costa, in UFC 298’s co-feature. UFC 298 may also function the returns of Ian Garry, Geoff Neal, Henry Cejudo, Merab Dvalishvili and a lot extra!
Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching motion!
Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of all the UFC 298 struggle card proper right here, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), earlier than the pay-per-view (PPV) major card begin time at 10 p.m. ET (additionally on ESPN+).
To take a look at the newest and biggest UFC 298: “Volkanovski vs. Topuria” information and notes remember to hit up our complete occasion archive proper right here.
