UFC 298: ILIA TOPURIA CALLS OUT CONOR MCGREGOR AFTER CLAIMING FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE – ‘I’LL BE WAITING FOR YOU IN SPAIN’
Ilia Topuria is already targeting a showdown with Conor McGregor after ending the reign of featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. The Spaniard knocked Volkanovski out in the second round with a stunning right hand and immediately set his sights on bringing the UFC to his home country. Elsewhere at UFC 298, Robert Whittaker and Ian Garry both edged close contests.
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Ilia Topuria celebrates after his knockout victory against Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 298 event at Honda Center on February 17, 2024 in Anaheim, California.
Image credit: Getty Images
Ilia Topuria had a message for Conor McGregor after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 298 to become the new featherweight champion.
The Spaniard ended the reign of one of the promotion’s most dominant champions with a stunning right hand in the second round at Anaheim’s Honda Center.
And after flooring one of the sport’s biggest names, the 27-year-old set his sights on adding another scalp to his growing resume.
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“Dana [White], it’s showtime, it’s time to take the UFC to Spain,” Topuria said to Joe Rogan.
“And Conor McGregor, if you still have some b****, I will be waiting for you in Spain.”
Topuria came into the fight with Volkanovski with an unblemished 14-0-0 record but was the heavy underdog.
However, he looked comfortable from the first bell and found some success early in the opener with a series of low kicks and right hands.
Vokanovski, 35, had his moments and was awarded the first round on the scorecards of the three judges, but it was Topuria who always felt the more dangerous.
And so it proved as he floored the Australian with a pinpoint right hand in the second round to spark wild scenes of celebration.
“I had to throw a lot of punches and long combinations in this fight and this is what I did,” he added.
“I know my skills [and] I work so hard. I was always knowing one day I would become a UFC world champion.
