Following a run at lightweight, Alexander Volkanovski returns to featherweight to defend the UFC featherweight title against the dangerous Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 on February 17 in California.
Volkanovski turned pro in 2012. Joining the UFC in 2016, he is 13-2 with the promotion. Since beating Max Holloway in 2019 for the UFC featherweight title, Volkanovski has successfully defended the belt five times, twice against Holloway. The Aussie’s last title defense was a TKO win in July against Yair Rodriguez.
“The Great” attempted to become a double champion when he faced Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title. Volkanovski lost the 2023 Fight of the Year in February and lost the rematch via knockout as a replacement opponent in October. The Topuria fight was meant for January, but Volkanovski needed time to recover following the October loss. Volkanovski is now ready to halt the momentum of Topuria.
“He’s (Topuria) a powerful dude, he’s good everywhere. He’s not one-dimensional, he’s obviously very well-rounded. I just believe my skills and my understanding of the game is just gonna be that little bit too much for him,” Volkanovski told Fox Sports Australia via Sports Illustrated. He’s a young, hungry dude. Undefeated, very, very confident, but I think he needs a little bit of humbling.”
WATCH: UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria, exclusively on ESPN+
Born in Germany, Topuria turned pro in 2015. He beat Brian Bouland in 2018 in a fight for the Cage Warriors bantamweight title but didn’t win the belt after he missed weight. Topuria joined the UFC in 2020 and is 6-0 for the promotion. In his last contest in June, “El Matador” beat Josh Emmett via unanimous decision.
The Sporting News will provide all you need to know about this event, from time, channel, odds, card, and more.
UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria date, time, schedule
UFC 298 is on February 17. The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. Volkanovski and Topuria should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
| Region | Date | Early Prelims Start Time | Prelims Start Time | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, February 17 | 6 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. ET | 12:15 a.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, February 17 | 3 p.m. PT | 5 p.m. PT | 7 p.m. PT | 9:15 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Sunday, February 18 | 11 p.m. GMT | 1 a.m. GMT | 3 a.m. GMT | 5:15 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Sunday, February 18 | 10 a.m. AEDT | 12 p.m. AEDT | 2 p.m. AEDT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT |
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How to watch UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Saturday, February 17 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Saturday, February 17 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sunday, February 18 | TNT Sports, TNT Sports Box Office |
| Australia | Sunday, February 18 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria PPV price: How much does UFC 298 cost?
In the U.S., the UFC 298 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 298 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $134.98 for the UFC 298 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
WATCH: UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $24.99/mo |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $134.98, then $109.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle |
$79.99, then $14.99/mo |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
Where is UFC 298?
UFC 298 is in the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Home to the Anaheim Ducks, the arena can hold up to 18,900 people.
Betting odds for UFC 298
Per Bet MGM, both fighters are even at -110.
Alexander Volkanovski record, bio
- Nationality: Australian
- Born: Sept. 29, 1988
- Height: 5-6
- Reach: 71 inches
- Total fights: 29
- Record: 26-3 with 13 wins via knockout
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Ilia Topuria record and bio
- Nationality: Georgian and Spanish
- Born: January 21, 1997
- Height: 5-8
- Reach: 69 inches
- Total fights: 14
- Record: 14-0 with four wins via knockout
UFC 298 fight card
Main card
- Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title
- Rob Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa; Middleweights
- Geoff Neal vs. Ian Machado Garry; Welterweights
- Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo; Bantamweights
- Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov; Middleweights
Prelims
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Lemos; Strawweights
- Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Justin Tafa; Heavyweights
- Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro; Light Heavyweights
- Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera; Bantamweights
Early Prelims
- Josh Quinlan vs. Danny Barlow; Welterweights
- Oban Elliott vs. Val Woodburn; Welterweights
- Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick; Flyweights