UFC 298: Israel Adesanya Predicts Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria

"The Last Stylebender" is ready for the UFC 298 main event.

Israel Adesanya has shared his prediction for the highly-anticipated featherweight title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria.

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This Saturday's UFC 298 main event is shaping up to be one of the promotion’s biggest fights of the year thanks to Volkanovski’s dominant reign as featherweight champion and Topuria’s rising star power as an undefeated talent.

“El Matador” has looked impressive through six appearances in the UFC, and Adesanya made a point to acknowledge the 27-year-old’s boxing prowess ahead of the matchup with Volkanovski.

Topuria has established himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in the UFC.  :: (David Yeazell/USA TODAY Sports)

“Ilia – I love his boxing.,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “I love the way he mixes it up, his wrestling. I like his combinations. Ilia is a beautiful fighter, I think his boxing is something that’s magnificent to watch…He’s good for the sport, but you know who’s great for the sport? Alexander Volkanovski.”

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Adesanya spent some time in Volkanovski’s camp during his final weeks of preparation for UFC 298, and ultimately the former middleweight titleholder expects that the Australian will defend his belt for a sixth time when he takes on Topuria.

Volkanovski is unbeaten in the featherweight division :: (Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)

“I’m gonna go late stoppage, round 4. KO or TKO. I think he’s just gonna exhaust him. It’s different when you’re in the championship rounds, but you have Alexander Volkanovski in your face…Ilia’s only shot is early on, [round] one or two. After that, I see it just going downhill for him from there.”

A stoppage win for Volkanovski would be an emphatic way to erase the memory of his second loss to Islam Makhachev, but Topuria has also promised to score a knockout of his own and is brimming with confidence ahead of his first UFC title shot.

Adesanya will undoubtedly be watching on Saturday night to see if Volkanovski can hand “El Matador” his first loss, and based on recent comments from Eugene Bareman it appears that “The Last Stylebender” is almost ready to get back into action himself.

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