Alexander Volkanovski vows to ‘embarrass’ Ilia Topuria during UFC 298 title bout

Alexander Volkanovski will look to rebound from his first-round knockout loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 292 against Ilia Topuria. Undefeated at featherweight, Volkanovski will be looking to defend his title for the sixth time at UFC 298, in Anaheim, California.

Ilia Topuria, undefeated in professional MMA, is 6-0 in the UFC with his latest fight, a 5-round domination over interim featherweight title challenger Josh Emmet. Topuria has vowed to knock out Volkanovski two, to which the Australian has replied in kind.

Alexander Volkanovski’s real aim during Ilia Topuria fight

Preluding UFC 298, Alexander Volkanovski was interviewed by former UFC women’s featherweight title challenger Megan Anderson for ESPN MMA. In the interview, Volkanovski revealed what he plans to do to Topuria physically and mentally inside the octagon in Anaheim, California.

“My goal for this one isn’t just winning. I want to go out there, and I’m saying I want to embarrass this bloke. It’s not that I’m trying to embarrass him, but what I plan on doing going out there, I want him to realize that there are levels”, Volkanovski said of what he plans to do to Topuria.

“I want him to be like, “Oh wow, I’m nowhere near this level,” which is going to be very embarrassing after all the talk he’s been doing”, Volkanovski further added.

“The polite way of saying it is I’m just going to teach him a lesson, but he will be embarrassed”, Volkanovski predicts that Topuria will be embarrassed when all is said and done at UFC 298. “He will be eating his own words. He will literally have to go back to the drawing board and realize, “Alright, that’s a whole other level. How do I get there?”

“So, he’s going to thank me later when everything’s said and done. He’s going to thank me for really humbling him.”

Volkanovski went on to say that Topuria would thank him after his defeat to the Australian. The Australian had already stated that he would shock the world at UFC 298.

Ilia Topuria does not want ex-champs to get title shot

Ilia Topuria is full of confidence before his title fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 as evidenced by his interview with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour. Topuria is confident in his capabilities against Volkanovski and he even went on to state that he won’t give a title shot to the former title challenger after UFC 298.

“I’m gonna beat a guy who whooped his ass three times. Okay, how it doesn’t make any sense”, Topuria replied when asked about whether he would be willing to defend the title against Max Holloway. The Hawaiian Holloway has already fought twice for the title after he lost it to Alexander Volkanovski and is 3-0 against Volkanovski.

“Max, Yair, or Brian Ortega, all of them, they can go and retire. I’m never going to give them the chance to fight for the title”, Topuria went on to reveal that he has no interest in defending the title against Holloway, Yair Rodriguez, or Brian Ortega.

If Topuria wins the title at UFC 298 and stays true to the aforementioned words, then Movsar Evloev or the winner of Calvin Kattar vs Aljamain Sterling could get the next title shot. Moreover, Topuria had already revealed his interest in fighting Conor McGregor.

Do you think Alexander Volkanovski will win at UFC 298? Leave your prediction below!