UFC 298 will be capped off by a fascinating championship bout between longtime featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski and the hungry, undefeated challenger Ilia Topuria, and you can watch the cold open for the UFC’s return to Anaheim below.
Live TOMORROW from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA @AlexVolkanovski & @TopuraIlia will fight for the featherweight title at #UFC298
— UFC (@ufc) February 16, 2024
[ Tune in on @ESPNPlus PPV | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/SUq413rnam
In the main event, Volkanovski seeks his sixth title defense against rising star Topuria. Volkanovski enters the contest following a losing 2023 campaign that saw lose twice to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, including a first-round stoppage in their second meeting at UFC 294 in October. Volkanovski did successfully defend his 145-pound strap with a sensational showing over Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 in July.
Topuria earned his shot with a one-sided unanimous decision over Josh Emmett in the main event of UFC Jacksonville this past June, which improved his promotional record to 6-0.
In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker looks to bounce back from a stoppage loss to now-champ Dricus du Plessis as he faces the returning Paulo Costa.
UFC 298 takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., with the main card airing exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
