Ilia Topuria stunned the MMA world after beating the long-reigning king of the featherweight division, Alexander Volkanovski, at UFC 298 last weekend. It was Volkanovski’s first-ever defeat at 145 pounds. Given his level of dominance since 2019, when he won the title, there are speculations about him possibly facing Topuria in an immediate rematch.
However, after suffering back-to-back knockout defeats, he may decide to take a long break from competition. And we might see Topuria face a fresh challenge for his first title defense. To speak about the same following the conclusion of the event, Dana White, appeared in front of the media.
White was asked if there were plans to take a fight card to Spain. It is worth noting that Ilia Topuria stated that it was an ambition of his prior to his clash with Volkanovski. While sharing an update on the company’s plans with the new featherweight champion, White revealed that Topuria will be making his first defense in Spain and said:
“We’re definitely going to Spain. Who Topuria is going to be facing, I don’t know yet. But I have a lot of respect for Volkanovski, we’ll see how that plays out. But as long as there’s a venue, we’re going to Spain.”
Catch his comments below:
Dana White says Ilia Topuria "couldn't have looked any better" in his #UFC298 title win and reveals "we're going to Spain." ?? pic.twitter.com/TsKyQj37tS
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 18, 2024
Who does Ilia Topuria want to face next in the UFC?
After being crowned the new UFC featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria has opened up about his ambitions. Interestingly, he is eyeing a super matchup against Conor McGregor instead of defending his belt at the moment. Right after being crowned the champion, Topuria called out McGregor for a bout in Spain during the post-fight interview.
The idea was immediately dismissed by many. It is worth noting that Conor McGregor would probably be unable to cut down to 145 pounds. However, Topuria isn’t looking to fight McGregor at featherweight. Interestingly, ‘El Matador’ is open to fight the Irishman at any weight division.
However, a potential fight between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor looks highly unlikely at the moment. Considering the fact that there is no potential timeline for McGregor’s return, it remains to be seen who he will fight if and when he returns to the octagon.
That said, we will most likely see Ilia Topuria fight Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch later this year.
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