The Hispanic-Georgian fighter Ilia Topuria assured this Friday that he will manage to beat the Australian Alexander Volkanovski in his fight for the UFC featherweight world belt and that he will make “history.”
“It’s going to be abysmal. I will make history for Spain, Georgia and for me personally. If you work hard and have faith, anything is possible. How much history the human race has and no one has done it before. It’s going to be great,” he said. Matador’ in an appearance with Spanish media.
At UFC298, Topuria (14-0) seeks to leave a performance that catapults his career in a franchise that has already placed high expectations on him, and to do so he will have to overcome a Volkanovski with whom he already met this Friday morning at the official weigh-in, in which both registered 144.5 pounds.
Regarding his expected fight, Topuria also emphasized what he has been stating for weeks: for his hypothetical victory, only one of the five rounds would be enough to cause the surrender of the fighter nicknamed ‘The Great’.
“That is my destiny. I dreamed that the day this fight arrived, it would develop in a spectacular way. I have not prepared for a five-round fight of five minutes, but of five days,” added the Hispanic-Georgian who has already left memorable triumphs. against Josh Emmett, Bryce Mitchell and Ryan Hall.
The UFC divides its fighters into three salary levels, although there are also fixed amounts signed by contract just for entering the octagon of the competition. The salary range ranges between $15,000 and $30,000 per fight for those who are debuting or are little-known faces.
Those fighters with experience and with accumulated victories behind them can earn between 80,000 and 250,000 for each fight.
And finally, the highest category, the one held only by the most famous faces in the competition, with the possibility of winning and more fans moving, can win between 500,000 and up to 3 million dollars.
If Topuria manages to beat the Australian Alexander Volkanovski, he could reach $500,000, a figure that would be five times that of the famous fight against Josh Emmet, held in June 2023.
‘The Great’ and ‘Matador’ fight this Saturday, February 17 from nine at night local time (05:00 GMT on Sunday) at the Honda Center, a pavilion with more than 18,000 seats that hosts the team’s home games. Anaheim Ducks hockey team (California, USA).
In addition, Topuria seemed relaxed and emphasized the good relationship he has with the Australian, of which he even mentioned the possibility of training together in the future or “cooking something delicious and having a drink” once their races have ended.
“It is difficult to fight with someone like Volkanovski, who is such a good person (…) I respect him as a person, as a professional, but I am fighting for my dreams and he is in my path (…) In the end, we are beings humans fighting to give a better life to our families,” said the Hispanic-Georgian.
Topuria concluded “happy to be able to enjoy” what will be the main fight of this Saturday’s event and “without any pressure, but gratitude” because “he had asked God” to be there.
In defense of the UFC featherweight title will be Volkanovski (26-3), who so far remains undefeated at 145 pounds and has left resounding victories against such notable names as Yair Rodríguez, Max Holloway and Brian Ortega.
Of course, the Australian has lost two of his last three fights, both against Islam Makhachev (25-1), the most recent in October of last year. Still, he ranks as number three in the world pound for pound.
