UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria

Mellor

UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria 

February 17, 2024,

• Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Ilia Topuria
• Middleweight: Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa
• Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Ian Machado Garry
• Bantamweight: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo
• Middleweight: Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov

Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)

• Women's Strawweight: Amanda Lemos vs. Mackenzie Dern
• Heavyweight: Marcos Rogério de Lima vs. Justin Tafa
• Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera
• Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro

Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)

• Welterweight: Josh Quinlan vs. Danny Barlow
• Welterweight: Oban Elliott vs. Val Woodburn
• Women's Flyweight: Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick

Mellor

Championship Fight: Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Ilia Topuria

Lots of media commentary on this one. Topuria is trying to talk **** and writw Volks off. Volks is nailing him in with his promos.

Calling somebody who has never lost at FW too old is kinda dumb. But the clap back form Volks was perfect. This Aussies are the fan heros these days.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3HNS4_SLhY/

This one was also gold. The fact a champ tells this story, and puts it out there during fight week says everything to me about how comfortable he is mentally.

Volkanokski 49-46

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4EVFFNHzKE

Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa.

Costa would challenge for banter king, but he's more goofy than genuinely funny. Whitaker coming off a loss. I think he has to make a statement and I can see him getting it done. Whittaker by decision or late TKO.

Geoff Neal vs. Ian Machado Garry - Surprised how big a favourite Garry is. But I think he takes it in a safe, 30-27 decision.

Dvalishvili to hopefully retire Cejudo.

Marcos Rogério de Lima vs. Justin Tafa. Not going the distance obviously. Either could do it. But de Lima's experience probably wins out.

Volk

Garry

Lemos

Zhang via KO/TKO

Barlow

Looks a solid 15/1 bet to me.

Looking forward to seeing Nakamura.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121773932#Comment_121773932

I think you're wise to sidestep Bobby v Pablo if you are placing a bet. 😆

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121773976#Comment_121773976

Not even with your money would I touch it haha.

Mellor

Tafa out due to injury.

Replaced on 1 days notice by Tafa

hawaii501

Hope Volk smashes Ilia even though I like him but Volk probably my fav fighter at the moment. Volk KO!

Whittaker vs Costa is a coin toss for me, if DDP finish never happened I'd have been Whittaker but think that fight may have left some lasting damage on him. Staying on the fence.

Garry win by decision 30-27. Would love to see him fight Luque afterwards in Dublin as a fight night headline.

Merab will retire the King of Cringe. Stupidly doing MMA math here but think Merab is better than Aljo so he just wins.

Patsy167

I love how Volk has been leaning into the old man persona at the press conference. I hope he gets the job done.

Eoinbmw

Rooting for Volk he's been written off by some I don't see it myself expect him to be sharp!

Can't wait to see Henry to retire feckin asshole!

The state of Josh Quinlan's face after that! He'll be seeing through his nose.

Danny Barlow only 28, interesting to see where he ends up.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774693#Comment_121774693

Unfortunately I’m not nearly as sensible with my money. Had Volks, Garry and Dvalishvili in a treble. Added Bobby last minute to bump the odds.

They’ve a promo where it’s money back if one fighter loses. That may have tipped me over

eagle eye

Brutal kicks by De Lima. Very surprised he brought Tafa to the ground in round 1, it was over with one more leg kick

I love Dern but, please Lemos, please.

eagle eye

Lemos by TKO I think.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121782970#Comment_121782970

Tafa gave it a go. But ultimately just there to collect a paycheck

Mellor

Would love to see Dern find the kneebar here

Mellor

Dern rd1 and 3. 29-28

but 28-28 is a possibility after the near finish in rd2.

eagle eye

Very hard to call. It's all on how round 1 was scored.

I had it same as the judges. 29-28.

eagle eye

Very surprised that was unanimous, was expecting a split decision. Couldn't argue with the result no matter which way it went.

eagle eye

This is an interesting fight. Hernandez wins if he gets it to the ground but he has to get through a dangerous opponent to get it there.

Hernandez can be a bit messy trying for takedowns and he can't afford that in this fight.

I fancy Kopylov to tag him and win by stoppage in the first.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121782999#Comment_121782999

I’d be interested in seeing the rd scoring. Thought Dern did enough in rd 1.

Could have been 10-10 rd1, 10-8 round 2. Arguably that’s the fairest use of the 10point system

ctrl-alt-delete

Showboating now by Dvalishvili.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783016#Comment_121783016

Very comfy.

LET'S GO GARRY!

hawaii501

So much better listening to Nisping than that clown DC!

Now if only they could replace Joe with a plastic chair and it would be the icing on the cake.

Here comes Geoff 'Handz of Oatmeal' Neal.

ctrl-alt-delete

Very close fight this one. Final round both will feel they need to impress.

Mellor

19-19 going into the 3rd

ctrl-alt-delete

Not the best of fights, the crowd sound fairly unimpressed.

eagle eye

Garry wins it. All these gyms he leaves doesn't seem to make a difference, he's so well prepared for every opponent.

Mellor

2-1 Garry

First was the close round.

Neal did nothing in the clinch, even with 30 seconds to go

eagle eye

These judges, at worst it was 29-28 Garry.

I had it 29-28 myself.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783027#Comment_121783027

A split decision is not an example of well prepared. He really struggled with Neal there.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783030#Comment_121783030

He's 26 haha.

He has just beaten two of the 170 gatekeepers and just called out Covington.

Perfection.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783030#Comment_121783030

He had the right game plan.

And it shouldn't have been a split decision, he clearly won two rounds.

hawaii501

Yeah he deserved the win but thought he would have won more comfortably tbh but Neal literally did nothing when in control of the clinch(must have been well over 3 mins)

Interesting that he called out Colby, wasn't expecting that. Would like Luque/Wonderboy next and then move onto Colby as that would surely lead to a title shot.

It probably will be that as Colby never fights anyway.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783032#Comment_121783032

Yep.

29-28 to Neal is mad.

eagle eye

This next one is a real interesting fight for me. You have to be concerned about Whittaker's jaw after his last fight and he's facing a real banger.

Whittakwr definitely a better all around fighter but if the jaw has weakened he could be in big trouble

I've never ever considered Whittaker a serious contender but, if he is. he has to be beating Costa.

ctrl-alt-delete

These guys are deceptively fast.

Some spinning heel kick at the end of that fieat round there from Costa.

Wow.

ctrl-alt-delete

Good luck scoring this one, high chance that the cards might not be needed.

Both look tired and wounded at the end of round 2.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783031#Comment_121783031

He won. And he deserved to win. But it was not a dominant win. He was making mistakes or misteps. I don’t think that performance lived up to his potential.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783032#Comment_121783032

I agree it was two rounds. But the fact it was a split highlights how close those rounds were.

A close 2-1 is not evidence of being well prepared. He struggled with a lot.

I highly doubt struggling in the clinch was his game plan.

Mellor

I think Bobby has broken his right hand.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783045#Comment_121783045

What did he do wrong in the clinch?

He was very comfortable in the clinch haha.

Even Rogan and the boys were wondering what Neal was doing taking things to the clinch.

eagle eye

Gotta go Whittaker. Should be 30-27 I think. The spinning kick at the end of round 1 wasn't enough to win the round for me.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783045#Comment_121783045

Obviously the gameplan was to keep Neal at distance and he did that for most of the night.

He didn't lose out in the clinch either, nothing happened.

I'm sorry, Whittaker has never been a UFC Champion.

ctrl-alt-delete

He went out quick there!

Devastating power. And the new...

Can't get much more conclusive than that.

Hopefully Volk retires.

hawaii501

Ilia is the real deal, looked so comfortable against the greatest featherweight of all time.

Devastating KO.