This year’s first UFC PPV, the UFC 297, provided fans with an enthralling show. But the calendar currently says that the next PPV event of this year, UFC 298, is just a few days away. Much like UFC 297, the fight card of UFC 298 also contains several exciting fights that have already created a buzz in the community. Most fans may be awaiting the coveted main event of the night. But the other fights on the card may also exhilarate many of them. So, let’s have a detailed look at the fights scheduled for the coveted night of UFC 298.
UFC 298 main event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria
UFC 298 will feature the current featherweight king, Alexander Volkanovski’s return to his usual weight class. Fans may remember that both of ‘The Great’s’ lightweight ventures in 2023 ended in despair. The previous year was a severely rough one for the UFC featherweight king. This is why he is ready to make 2024 the year of his comeback.
None of the UFC featherweights have been able to find an answer to Volks’ unmatched all-round prowess inside the octagon to date. Hence, it’s quite apparent that most fans will expect a similar outcome to Volkanovski’s sixth title defense fight on 17 February.
However, several fans and MMA pundits have counted ‘The Great’s’ UFC 298 rival, Ilia Topuria, to be his toughest challenger to date. The Spanish UFC featherweight has showcased superb skills in both the striking and grappling departments of the game. On top of that, he also boasts an undefeated record, which is enough to prove his awesome in-octagon prowess.
Nobody can document which of these two will walk out with the UFC featherweight championship after UFC 298. But their skills indicate that their clash is going to be an epic one.
UFC 298 co-main event: Paulo Costa vs. Robert Whittaker
The noted UFC middleweight, Paulo Costa, has faced the wrath of several fans after pulling out of his recent fights. But ‘The Eraser’ will finally be making his comeback at UFC 298. Costa has always been a knockout artist with superb power in his hands. It’s quite apparent that he would prefer a stand-up fight at UFC 298 so that he can let his hands do the talking.
But, with the former UFC middleweight champ, Robert Whittaker, standing against him, Costa’s task will be far from easy. ‘Bobby Knuckles’ is one of the most respected middleweights in the current roster. While he may have earned victories via submissions, fans and pundits would agree that Whittaker prefers a stand-up fight as well. He is primarily a striker as well, much like his Brazilian UFC 298 rival.
Despite being for a long time in the promotion, these two have never locked horns against each other. However, the similar fighting styles of Costa and Whittaker imply that the fans will also experience an enthralling co-main event at UFC 298.
But even the other fights on the UFC 298 card are expected to get the fans on the edge of their seats. Here’s a look at all of them:
Main Card
Ian Machado Garry vs. Geoff Neal
Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov
Prelims
Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Lemos
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Justin Tafa
Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera
Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Josh Quinlan vs. Danny Barlow
Oban Elliott vs. Val Woodburn
Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick
Fans who want to experience the action through their own eyes must have secured the tickets to the Honda Center by now. But the ones who haven’t need to hurry now since there are only a few tickets available. However, they can also enjoy all the action live on ESPN+ with a PPV subscription.
