MMA has its new rising star.
On the night of Saturday to Sunday, in Anaheim, California, Ilia Topuria left his mark on UFC 298, becoming the undisputed -66kg champion.
Opposed to the formidable Australian Alexander Volkanovski, holder of the belt since 2019, El Matador made his mark, inflicting an impressive knockout in the second round on his opponent.
Enough to definitively establish Topuria among the biggest posters of the organization.
🔥🔥🔥 IT’S INCREDIBLE!!!
TOPURIA TURNED OFF VOLKANOVSKI IN THE SECOND ROUND AND DID THE UNTHINKABLE!!
🇪🇸🇬🇪 He becomes the new undefeated king of -66kgs and inflicts Volkanovski his first defeat in the category.
#RMCMMA #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/Rms2rSBl5U
— RMC Sport Combat (@RMCSportCombat) February 18, 2024
In the main event of the evening, the man who has now become the first Spaniard to win a UFC title released a sequence of which he has the secret.
After an observation phase at the start of the second round, the featherweight unleashed a series of six powerful strikes, including one hitting Vokanovski in the temple.
Lights out, reign over.
The Topuria era, on the other hand, is surely just getting started: with 15 victories for zero defeats, the spectacular fighter certainly does not intend to stop there.
In front of a large Spanish audience, including Riqui Puig and Alberto Contador, Topuria immediately spoke in the cage, once the belt was recovered, to tackle Connor McGregor.
The former UFC superstar, who hasn't fought in two and a half years but announced his return in June.
“Dana (White, the organization's promoter), it's time to shine and bring the UFC to Spain,” proclaimed his new rival.
And Connor McGregor, if you still have balls, I'll wait for you in Spain.
» The message got through.