UFC 298 is a massive fight card that represents the return of Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski to the 145-pound division. Volkanovski will face undefeated Georgian prospect Ilia Topuria in this weekend’s Main Event from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In the Co-Main Event, Former Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker faces Brazilian powerhouse Paulo Costa in a matchup ranked contenders. After suffering a knockout loss to current champion Dricus Du Plessis, it will be interesting to see how Whittaker rebounds against another heavy-handed opponent.
Also on this card, cardio machine Merab Dvalishvili returns against former Two-Weight World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo.
(C) Alexander Volkanovski vs. #3 Ilia Topuria (14-0)
One of the most high-stakes fights in Featherweight history will headline UFC 298. Longtime Champion Alexander Volkanovski returns to the division after unsuccessfully challenging for the Lightweight title in October. Volkanovski will face the toughest test of his 145-pound career this weekend in the form of Ilia Topuria. The undefeated finisher from Georgia has stopped opponents in 12 of his 14 professional wins.
Topuria’s last opponent Josh Emmett is very similar to Volkanovski stylistically. After earning a unanimous decision victory in that contest Topuria has positioned himself for a title shot Saturday night. Entering this championship Main Event, Volkanovski is a slight betting favorite at online sportsbooks (-125).
On the feet, Topuria has one-shot knockout power and at 27 years old may be the faster competitor. Volkanovski was just knocked out from a head kick by Lightweight Champion Islam Makachev and is making a quick turnaround after only three months off. Topuria holds eight wins by way of submission but Volkanovski has never been tapped out in his career. This is going to be an incredible fight between highly talented martial artists.
Prediction: Ilia Topuria by KO/TKO
#3 Robert Whittaker (25-7) vs. #6 Paulo Costa (14-2)
In the Co-Main event of UFC 298, Former Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker takes on Paulo Costa. Both of these fighters are perennial contenders at 185 pounds and need a win to move back into title contention. Costa’s most recent victory was over Luke Rockhold in Salt Lake City, in a fight that both competitors seemed to gas out during. This was a much-needed win for Costa but he has yet to make a statement since his embarrassing loss to former champion Israel Adesanya in their title matchup. Entering this contest, Whittaker is a betting favorite (-250) at online sportsbooks.
Whittaker will have a significant advantage in terms of experience and cardiovascular conditioning. Costa is a very strong athlete who has finished 11 fights by knockout in his career. If the fight ends early it could be Costa who earns a finish victory, but the longer this fight goes it favors Whittaker.
Prediction: Whittaker by Decision
Merab Dvalishvili (16-4) vs. Henry Cejudo (16-3)
Former two-division world champion Henry Cejudo faces one of the most interesting matchups in his storied career at UFC 298. Combat Sambo world silver medalist Merab Dvalishvili fights at an unreal pace and has a credentialed grappling background. Cejudo won a Gold Medal in Freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Cejudo lost by split decision to Aljamain Sterling for the title last May, in what was his return fight after a three-year layoff. Dvalishvili has won nine fights in a row and holds the Bantamweight record for takedowns attempted in a fight. Currently, Dvalishvili is a betting favorite at online sportsbooks (-225).
With both competitors being successful grapplers I believe this fight will primarily take place on the feet. Neither fighter may be able to take the other one down resulting in a standup battle. If that is the case Cejudo holds eight wins by knockout, while Dvalishvili only has three. This will be Cejudo’s first three-round fight since 2017. Cejudo has talked about retirement with a loss this weekend.
Prediction: Henry Cejudo by Decision
UFC 298 Prelims:
UFC 298 is one of the most stacked fight cards of the year. Irish superstar Ian Garry fights Geoff “Handz of Steel” Neil in a matchup with competitive animosity between the two. Garry is a 26-year-old fighter who stands 6’3 at 170 pounds and utilizes his length effectively. Garry was seen selling T-shirts with Geoff Neal’s mugshot on them after his opponent’s latest DUI arrest. This may cause friction between the two throughout fight week.
Prediction: Garry by Decision
Also on the UFC 298 fight card, Middleweight prospects Anthony Hernandez and Roman Kopylov go to battle. Kopylov is an impressive striker who knocked out four straight opponents. Hernandez has seven wins by submission and is most known for submitting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Rodolfo Vieira in 2021.
Prediction: Kopylov by KO/TKO
Other Fantom Sports Writer Predictions:
Taylor- Alexander Volkanovski, Paulo Costa, Ian Garry, Henry Cejudo, Anthony Hernandez
The UFC 298 prelims begin at 5:30 p.m. CST with the PPV Main Card starting at 9 p.m. CST only on ESPN+.
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