UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will square off against No. 3 ranked Ilia Topuria in the main event at UFC 298. The five-round title fight will occur on Saturday, February 17, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Volkanovski (26-3-0) is coming off an opening-round knockout loss to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in October. The reigning 145-pound champion has won 11 straight featherweight fights and has yet to lose in the division.
In the fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, Alexander Volkanovski showcased his versatility, excelling in both striking and grappling. Despite his loss, he demonstrated a powerful right hand, effective feints, and was proficient in clinch situations.
Volkanovski connected on a significant number of strikes and attempted several takedowns, underscoring his aggressive approach and technical skill. His performance, marked by determination and resilience, sets the stage for high expectations in his upcoming bout at UFC 298.
Topuria (14-0-0) earned a unanimous decision win in his fight against Josh Emmett last June at UFC on ABC. A young fighter boasting elite striking and grappling skills, the Climent Club fighter has finished 12 of 14 opponents in the first or second round.
In the co-main event, middleweight contenders #3-ranked Robert Whittaker (25-7-0) and #6-ranked Paulo Costa (14-2-0) will butt heads in an exciting showdown.
You can bet on a range of UFC events with some of the top NY sportsbooks like Fanduel and Caesers which are among the best for UFC betting.
Volkanovski (-128) is the favorite to successfully defend his featherweight championship against Topuria (+100), per Fanduel Sportsbook. But the underdog is a rising UFC star and has posted a 6-0 record since joining the promotion.
This fight features two talented fighters and promises to be an exciting showdown with non-stop action.
Volkanovski enters the fight just two wins shy of tying Max Holloway's all-time record of 13 consecutive featherweight victories. The Australian lands an incredible 6.19 significant strikes per minute with an equally impressive 57.1% striking accuracy.
The 35-year-old is an aggressive fighter who has connected on 1,320 total significant strikes in 11 fights at 145 pounds. Volkanovski has won 52% of his fights via knockouts and 36% via decision. Although his 37% takedown accuracy is subpar, he does boast a 70% takedown defense.
As Alexander Volkanovski prepares for his upcoming bout, there's growing chatter about his age and whether it impacts his competitiveness in the UFC.
Amid comments on his age and suggestions he's too old for the UFC, Volkanovski humorously clapped back in a Sportsbet video, playing an elderly version of himself. He quipped, "I still don't get these hot takes on my age though. I will still fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Maybe not in tomato season or after 11pm."
Topuria is an all-around fighter with elite striking and grappling skills. The Georgian lands 4.44 significant strikes per minute with a 46% striking accuracy. His striking defense is also world-class, and he has avoided 67.4 percent of his featherweight opponents' significant strike attempts.
The 27-year-old has finished 62% of his fights with submissions and 31% via knockouts. His takedown skills are above-average, with 2.19 takedowns every 15 minutes and a takedown accuracy of 56%.
Although Topuria has found early success in his UFC journey, Volkanovski believes the challenger will find it difficult to win at the championship level.
"He thinks he's the best, but he's going to be shown there are levels to this. As I've been saying in interviews, you've got to earn your stripes and he hasn't been there. He thinks he's the man, he thinks he's at the top of the division already, and he hasn't even faced anyone right up there.
"If he ever gets to that point where he's going to be a champion or a great champion, he needs for me to do what I plan on doing to him. I'm going to give him a good humbling. Maybe he can bounce back after that, learn a thing or two, and go from there. But he's going to be shown a good lesson, a good humbling, and I can't wait to do that."
Betting Pick: Volkanovski
Betting odds for this much-anticipated middleweight title fight are live on well-known sportsbooks, including FanDuel, which has tabbed Volkanovski as a -128 favorite. The most common bet type for this UFC fight is the moneyline, a wager on who will win the fight outright.
Considering how the champion has never lost a professional fight at 145 pounds, Volkanovski is the favorite. However, the undefeated challenger has been impressive with six straight wins to open his UFC career. Volkanovski is our pick to win the fight, and a $100 wager on the champion at odds of -120 would net a total payout of $183.33.
The Over/Under bet is another popular type, where you wager on the number of rounds the fight will last. Given that all six of Volkanovski's previous featherweight clashes have gone at least 19 minutes, we do not expect the fight to end in the early rounds. Thus, betting Over 3.5 rounds could be a winning pick.
The five-round featherweight title fight will take place on Saturday, February 17, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. UFC fans in New York can watch the fight live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is a slight favorite to retain his belt against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298. Volkanovski is a -128 betting favorite, while Topuria is the +100 underdog, per FanDuel.
An intriguing middleweight showdown pitting #3-ranked Robert Whittaker (25-7-0) against #6-ranked Paulo Costa (14-2-0) will be the co-main event. Other fights on the undercard include a welterweight match with #8-ranked Geoff Neal (15-5-0) and #10-ranked Ian Machado Garry (13-0-0), a bantamweight clash featuring #2-ranked Merab Dvalishvili (16-4-0) and #3-ranked Henry Cejudo (16-3-0), and a middleweight contest showcasing #14-ranked Anthony Hernandez (11-2-0) and knockout artist Roman Kopylov (12-2-0).
Bets can be placed during the fight as it is happening with live UFC odds that are constantly changing based on what's happening in real-time inside the Octagon. The most popular types of in-play bettings are moneyline wagers representing the odds for who will win the fight outright. Other live betting types include the method of victory and how long the fight will last.
Mixed martial arts fans can place a variety of wagers on this exciting featherweight championship fight at FanDuel, a popular and trusted sportsbook in New York.
