Ilia Topuria is ready to prove he’s not just another opponent that Alexander Volkanovski can easily put away at UFC 298 on February 17. The fight in California for Volkanovski’s UFC featherweight title airs on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S.
Volkanovski turned pro in 2012. Joining the UFC in 2016, he is 13-2 with the promotion. Beating Max Holloway in 2019 for the UFC featherweight title, Volkanovski has successfully defended the belt five times, twice against Holloway. The Aussie’s last title defense was a TKO win in July against Yair Rodriguez.
Topuria turned pro in 2015. The Georgian and Spanish fighter joined the UFC in 2020 and is 6-0 for the promotion. In his last contest in June, "El Matador" beat Josh Emmett via unanimous decision.
Volkanovski is 1-2 in his last three fights, the losses coming at lightweight against Islam Makhachev. At featherweight, he has dominated the competition. The Aussie sees Topuria as just someone in his way and has dared the latter to prove him wrong.
WATCH: UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria, exclusively on ESPN+
"He needs to do something February to show elite level. Because, right now, I haven't seen it," Volkanovski said on the MMA Hour via MMA News. "That doesn't mean he's not elite... But, there's gonna be levels where you need to be more than just fundamentally sound… I haven't seen him do anything more special than any other of the guys I've faced. That doesn't mean he's not that good, but he needs to show me that. With the striking, again, durable, powerful dude, very fundamentally sound... But again, it's so much more than that. I'll leave it at that.”
Here’s all you need to know about the fight, from channel, time, and card.
What channel is UFC 298 on? How to watch Volkanovski vs. Topuria
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Saturday, February 17 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Saturday, February 17 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sunday, February 18 | TNT Sports, TNT Sports Box Office |
| Australia | Sunday, February 18 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria PPV price, cost
In the U.S., the UFC 298 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 298 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $134.98 for the UFC 298 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent. Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
WATCH: UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $24.99/mo |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $134.98, then $109.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $79.99, then $14.99/mo |
What time is UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria today?
The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. Volkanovski and Topuria should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
| Region | Date | Early Prelims Start Time | Prelims Start Time | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, February 17 | 6 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. ET | 12:15 a.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, February 17 | 3 p.m. PT | 5 p.m. PT | 7 p.m. PT | 9:15 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Sunday, February 18 | 11 p.m. GMT | 1 a.m. GMT | 3 a.m. GMT | 5:15 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Sunday, February 18 | 10 a.m. AEDT | 12 p.m. AEDT | 2 p.m. AEDT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT |
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UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria full fight card
Main card
- Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title
- Rob Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa; Middleweights
- Geoff Neal vs. Ian Machado Garry; Welterweights
- Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo; Bantamweights
- Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov; Middleweights
Prelims
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Lemos; Strawweights
- Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Junior Tafa; Heavyweights
- Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro; Light Heavyweights
- Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera; Bantamweights
Early Prelims
- Josh Quinlan vs. Danny Barlow; Welterweights
- Oban Elliott vs. Val Woodburn; Welterweights
- Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick; Flyweights
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