The changing of the guard is a bittersweet moment in combat sports, when former heroes get dethroned by the new, hungry lions who take their place. No fighter ever stays on top for long, as Father Time is undefeated, but this weekend we will see if that time has come for current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski as he headlines UFC298.
Upon claiming the belt in his 8th UFC fight, beating future hall of famer Max Holloway, Volk has cemented his legacy as arguably the best featherweight of all time by beating almost every contender in the division. He faces a fresh challenge this weekend when he goes up against what many believe is the next generation of featherweight and future belt holders in Ilia Topuria.
The timing of this title defense couldn’t be worse for Volk, as he is coming off a knock-out loss to Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev just 4 months ago, whilst facing a hungry and scary opponent in Topuria, who is undefeated at 15-0 and looked dominant in each performance. History tells us that every champion aged 35 or over, like Volk, loses their belt to the younger contender. Can Volkanovski be the first fighter to disrupt this trend and retain gold?
Quick Facts
- Betting is incredibly close in the main fight with odds at Volkanovski -112 and Topuria -108, almost impossible to call this fight!
- Topuria has earned 12 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. Eight of those wins are by submission.
- Volkanovski’s 11-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is the longest active streak in the division.
**Odds Provided by BetMGM NY as of 16th February 2024
UFC298 Fight Preview
UFC298 Info
- 📅Date: February 17th 2024
- 🌏Location: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
- ⏲️Start time: 10 pm ET/7 pm PT (Main card)
- 📺How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
- 🥊Full Fight Info – Official UFC298 Website
UFC298 Main Fight Card Volkanovski vs. Topuria
Below you will find our 5 pick parlays from our 3 in-house UFC experts, and this time around there are quite a few disagreements in the picks meaning very tough fights to call!
It seems almost criminal to be betting against Volkanowski as well as the legend that is Henry Cejudo, but that is an indication of just how good this fight card is and how competitive the Bantam and Feitherwieght classes are in the UFC. While there is some agreement between our experts in some of the fights, the key matchups are yet again too close to call and be 100% confident with our picks.
Whether you are betting or not this will be a superb main fight card for the weekend!
Best Sportsbooks for UFC298
If you are looking to make a bet on the main card of UFC298 then the 5 sportsbooks listed below are our top recommendations.
Check out our dedicated UFC app betting guide for more details on the range of markets, and bets available and how to get the most from the most reputable UFC betting apps.
