UFC 298: Ilia Topuria KOs Alexander Volkanovski to win featherweight belt in stunner

Alexander Volkanovski's reign ended with a single combination by Ilia Topuria.

The rising star defeated one of the UFC's greatest fighters by KO in a stunner at UFC 298, flattening the Australian with a brutal series of blows in the second round to capture the belt. A quick pair of punches put Volkanovski on his back heel, then a right hook ended it.

Volkanovski remained down for more than a minute before getting up.

The win completes a rapid ascent for the undefeated Topuria, who joined the UFC in 2020 and has now won seven straight fights to open his career with the promotion. What's even more wild is that his run could have come to an end months ago, as Vox's Ariel Helwani reported his deal was up at the end of 2023. UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell reportedly took the uncommon step of flying to Spain to cut a new deal, which has now led to an immediate pay-off.

Topuria (15-0) entered UFC 298 with a confidence bordering on arrogance, but backed it up with a performance that was impressive even before the KO.

Topuria was openly pondering who he would face for his first title defense before the fight and continued to do so after receiving the belt. The Spaniard had one name and one location in mind.

"Connor McGregor, if you still have some balls, I'll be waiting for you in Spain," Topuria said.

Volkanovski was favored for the fight, but this loss now fits neatly into a decline that was set in motion when he went for a second belt against Islam Makhachev at lightweight last February. Volkanovski took his first UFC loss there, then defended his own belt against Yair Rodriguez before going for a rematch against Makhachev as a fill-in at UFC 294, losing by first-round KO.

That most recent loss was only four months ago. History is unfavorable for fighters at Volkanovski's age and weight and that record now includes three losses in the span of a year. The Australian can only hope his record at featherweight warrants an immediate rematch.

He's at least willing to go to Topuria's turf.

"Obviously, I've been champ of this featherweight division a long time. He keeps mentioning Spain. Maybe we'll do a rematch over there in Spain," Volkanovski said.

Whether he gets that rematch, Saturday marked the end of a standout title run in UFC history for Volkanovski. He took the belt in 2019 against Max Holloway and proceeded to defend it five times. At one point, he was the top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, but he will now have to do something special to resume that reign.