UFC 298 LIVE: Volkanovski vs Topuria updates as ‘The Great’ puts featherweight title on…

Volk’s walk out is the stuff of legend by now and he looks composed as he heads out. It must be said that there didn’t seem to be one shred of nerves on Topuria. He’s making a documentary about his rise and plans on releasing it with the perfect ending if he manages to dethrone ‘The Great’.

Topuria is a national hero in Georgia and Spain already – this is their man’s big moment, will he seize it?

Walk outs are upon us and both men have been stewing in their changing rooms desperate to get out there. The California crowd were treated to a belter in the co-main event but are finding it easy to get back up for this one. A buzzy little Spanish tune greets Topuria and the fans are loving it.

I cannot wait for this one! Topuria is the quintessential young gun challenge and even though his nickname is El Matador, most of the time he seems like the bull. He’s so powerful and believes he can take risks against Volk to land because the champ lacks one-punch KO power. We’ll see if the Georgian Spaniard is at the level tonight because he’s up against a pound-for-pound great.

Whittaker looked reborn tonight and it would be great to see him rematch Du Plessis for the belt. He’s put enough hard yards in at middleweight to have earned it but we’ll see which direction the UFC go next.

Back in the win column for Bobby Knuckles. He says: ‘This is a fight I wanted, I looked for his scalp the whole time but he’s a tough dude. The head kick wasn’t fun and was the best shot all night for sure. I found the fury again tonight. I performed tonight. I want to make amends with Dricus. I’m not going anywhere.’

The crowd are on the feet for the co-main event. It was bloody and tense and showcased both men’s toughness and skill in abundance. Whittaker seemed to be on top for the last couple of minutes which might have done enough to sway the judges. He landed more shots but the powerful blows were dealt by his opponent. I’d edge it to the Aussie but you can never predict the judges with any confidence… let’s see how they rule.

Whittaker is showing all his skill and experience here. His movement and timing and fight IQ are elite. He keeps chopping the lead leg and testing the granite chin of Costa. Lesser men would have crumbled but the Brazilian is so powerful still and his kicks are not telegraphed at all. Both men could yet find a finish and this final five minutes will be epic.

Spinning heel kick to the face lands for Costa right at the end of the round and it’s a miracle Whittaker is still standing. He’s saved by the bell as Costa poured on the punishment. It had been the Australian well on top until then, landing vicious low calf kicks and nice tidy combinations. Will it affect Whittaker going into round two?

Costa is renowned for pulling out of fights and being inactive but he’s finally in action here, can he deliver the goods? We’re moments away.

A superb middleweight match-up now. Costa has the tools to be a beast in there with huge power and a chin to go with it, still only 32 but Robert Whittaker has been mixing it at the top for a long time now.

‘The Reaper’ was stunned by Dricus du Plessis last time out and this is a bit of a crossroads fight for both men to see who will have a legitimate claim for a title shot. The Brazilian and Australian are hugely popular and Whittaker has lots of support in there with those from down under out in force for him and Volkanovski.

He doesn’t have much of a choice given the overwhelmingly negative reception he’s received even after winning there but it seems as though Machado Garry must simply embrace being the bad guy. It certainly sells just as many tickets and generates interest.

I’m sure deep down, like anyone, he’d prefer to have the love of the fans but for now at least he’s on the wrong side of most of them. It would be fascinating to see him against Colby Covington, would ‘Chaos’ take the fight?

So Machado Garry takes it on a split decision and tells Joe Rogan: ‘I’m undefeated, winning, keep talking, you’re watching me. Geoff hits hard and you have to give him respect, he’s a warrior and I knew I might have to jab away for 15 minutes because he’s very dangerous.

‘I want Colby Covington next, he’s on a three fight skid and I want to retire him, you ain’t ready to deal with this speed and I’ll make you regret everything you’ve said.

‘I was a kid watching this and I’m living the dream and I’ll be a world champion whether you like it or not.’

Some really slick striking for Machado Garry in the final stanza and a perfect knee up the middle is one of the shots of the fight. The crowd are frustrated with Machado Garry circling away and avoiding a direct exchange but we’ll see if he’s rewarded for it imminently.

It is almost too close to call but Machado Garry is on the back foot and landing plenty of kicks. Neal is landing combinations with his hands and tying his man up against the cage without doing much with that control. It really depends on how the judges are seeing it but you can make an argument for either man. A huge third coming up.

Machado Garry is fighting in his range, showing slick movement and razor sharp kicks. Neal is chasing him and landing flurries of his own every now and again but the cleaner work came from the Irishman. It’s finely poised but Machado Garry shading it on my count at the moment.

He says he cares little for the hate he’s received and is just going out to get the job done. We’re about to find out if the undefeated star can do just that.

Not too long left with two more fights to go until the featherweight king looks to see off what on paper looks like his hardest contender since Holloway.

Neal is no joke – he ran Shavkat close and is a legitimate top 10 player in the division. Both men have superb striking and you’d think this will be a stand-up battle for as long as it lasts.

Next up tonight, we’ll see if all the attention, negative and otherwise affects the way Ian Machado Garry performs. Will he put in a championship level performance that signals he will one day wear the strap, or will Geoff Neal spring an upset and thrill those rooting for Machado Garry to lose after he was roundly booed at the press conference this week.

‘All my life, nothing has come easy and hard work always pays off,’ the victor says. ‘I’m not even breathing heavy, I grind every day in the gym, it was a tight choke and I want to just dominate, I want a 10 round fight, three rounds is nothing. I love you guys, you recognise hard work. I quit my job five years ago and just train.

‘I am ready for whoever will be champion, I’ll face him next. My only goal is for title now.’

Incredible last couple of rounds from Merab. He is relentless, mauls people and has crisp striking with a chin to go with it. Cejudo started to look his 37 years in the final stanza, out-landed and outworked. No bantamweight will want to face this guy and you have to think we’re looking at a future champ.

What a second round for the Georgian. He lands some thudding blows and wins the striking exchanges, then breaking some of Cejudo’s resolve by taking him to the mat again and even ending the round with a tight choke, speaking to Mark Zuckerberg in the front row while he’s doing it. He has to be favourite heading into the last.

Cejudo has a brilliant opening round. He lands a massive loopy left hook that wobbles Merab badly. Dvalishvili secures a brief takedown but Cejudo manages to get up and then reverses another one, ending up with more control and damage which should have seen him secure that opener.

Nobody has been able to get this limpet off them. He does not stop and Cejudo must assert himself early on before this three rounder gets away with him. We’ll see if the former two-weight champion can come up with the right game plan to overcome such a specific challenge.

One of the original legends of the UFC and most frightening fighters in his prime – Wanderlei laps up the cheers of the crowd as his montage of mullering people is put on the big screen and he’s announced as being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Title shot or retirement is basically the order of the day for 37-year-old Cejudo, a man destined for the Hall of Fame.

If the formidable Dvalishvili can see off Triple C, he has to have the next opportunity and Cejudo has readily admitted it is win or bust for him tonight. They’re up next.

‘I had to get out of my own way, I have direction from my corner and I want to make a run at the title. I’ve been conditioning my body which used to be my weakness and now I’m ready to show the world!’

What a performance, what a submission and what a win for ‘Fluffy’.

He pours forwards, is clipped a couple of times but keeps coming and eventually finds the takedown he needs. He doesn’t secure the RNC with his first attempt or second but eventually locks up the choke and despite Kopylov battling hard, he gets the tap.

Kopylov lands some incredibly sharp body kicks and whizzes a high one past the ear of Hernandez. The American changes approach and spends the last couple of minutes grinding on the Russian against the fence trying to secure a takedown, unsuccessfully as it proves but there was plenty of control time there.

Kopylov comes in as an underdog and is a bit of a forgotton man in the middleweight division. He’s won his last four but faces a local fan favourite in Hernandez who has the crowd on their feet as he comes out to ‘Time to say goodbye’. Hopefully he isn’t retiring…

McGregor has gone for Garry and Volk to win tonight, who have you got?

Outside of the main event and perhaps even including it, Ian Machado Garry is the fighter fans are tuning in to see tonight – whether they want him to win or get knocked out. It has been a tumultuous few months for the undefeated Irishman and he can make a clean break from the drama by putting Geoff Neal to the sword.

Here’s how the main card looks in order of appearance:

Anthony Hernandez vs Roman Kopylov

Merab Dvalishvili vs Henry Cejudo

Geoff Neal vs Ian Machado Garry

Paulo Costa vs Robert Whittaker

Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria

Lemos takes it by a round on all the scorecards but you have to imagine they’re in for a bonus for potential fight of the night. That said, we have some incredible match-ups to come and the main card is about to begin!

Two rounds into the featured pre-lim and Dern is battered and bruised but unbowed. She has been hammered on the feet by Lemos but toughed it out. Mike Beltran was very close to stopping the fight but just about timed it right. Dern is so dangerous on the ground and as long as she’s in there, there’s a chance.

Not much of a trek for the tech billionaire, who has a passion for MMA and the jiu-jitsu bug. He lives in California and it would have been a short hop for him to get to Anaheim no doubt.

Topuria has never thrown a body kick in the UFC. What a mad stat that is. Will he add to his boxing heavy attack tonight or think why change a winning formula? Here’s a closer look at how the main event fighters compare…

Marcos Rogerio de Lima absolutely anihilated Junior Tafa’s calf to the point where he could go on no more. The ref stopped it after a few strikes on the ground but essentially it was the low kicks that finished it. That technique is so effective and if you’re unable to check them effectively, you’re in massive trouble. MMA is evolving all the time but this innovation has changed the game.

Volk of course turned up to the press conference dressed as an old man and his fans have followed suit tonight in the crowd.

The over 35 curse is real for those in the lighter divisions with younger challengers having a far better record in title clashes but the Aussie is making light of it and thinks he can buck the trend by showing there are levels to the game tonight.

Topuria has everything it takes to be a breakthrough star in the UFC – an exciting style, friends in high places, great communication skills in multiple languages and the swagger to go with it. Here’s a closer look at his story…

Cancellations have made this a limited pre-lim section of the night and it would have been even more brief without Junior Tafa stepping up.

Undefeated prospect Rinya Nakamura is first up against Carlos Vera before Marcos Rogerio de Lima and Tafa go toe-to-toe and then Mackenzie Dern faces Amanda Lemos.

One Tafa out, another one in… this is a crazy story and should be a belting fight. Justin Tafa was ruled out at the 11th hour but his younger brother has stepped up on what looks to be the shortest possible notice to fill in.

How about this for a combo in the pocket, Mingyang went jab, right, left to skittle his man and win in fine style on his UFC debut. Statement made.

As the early birds have filtered into the arena, they’ll have seen the first three fights of the night.

Miranda Maverick defeated Andrea Lee by unanimous decision, Wales’ Oban Elliott did the same against Val Woodburn having come into the UFC through the Contender Series and there was a sensational finish for Zhang Mingyang against Brendson Ribeiro by first-round KO – more on that shortly.

If you read that first title in a Dana White voice, you too are probably as glued to the UFC as I am… Welcome along to our live coverage of UFC 298, we’ll be keeping you updated through the night, or morning, or whatever time it is where you are from what should in theory be a brilliant event.

Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria is a sensational headliner and we’ll delve into that later, but before then, there’s some other huge match-ups to enjoy.