Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski (Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

Two Years Later, Ilia Topuria Still Cherishes His Night Against Alexander Volkanovski

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Feb 17, 2026 2:02 PM ET

When Ilia Topuria fought Alexander Volkanovski, he was hated by fans for channeling Conor McGregor and was not very respectful towards Volkanovski, who was already a fan favorite. However, he turned his haters into fans with his performance, and now two years later, ‘El Matador’ looks back at his best performances.

At UFC 298, the lightweight champion knocked out the Australian fighter brutally in the second round. Two years after the fight, the Spanish fighter shared an emotional message about his first title win and praised the featherweight legend. Posting photos of the fight on Instagram, he wrote in the caption:

“It’s been two years since I shared the octagon with a legend like @alexvolkanovski
One of the most memorable nights of my life, and a moment I will always carry with me.”

After winning the featherweight title and defending it once, Topuria moved to lightweight and became the champion there. But he has been out of action due to personal issues, though he aims to return soon. He is most likely to fight against Justin Gaethje, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

Justin Gaethje Warns Ilia Topuria Ahead of Their Clash

Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria (Photo by Imagn)

Fans are waiting for Ilia Topuria’s return, and he himself has confirmed that he might return in June. Meanwhile, many say that Topuria will return against Justin Gaethje at the White House card. Many are warning Gaethje about Topuria’s knockout power, but Gaethje isn’t buying into the fear. In a recent interview, he said:

“He better be because I’m supposed to fight him in June on the White House card. That’s why I fought for this [interim title].”

Justin Gaethje tells Ilia Topuria to be ready for June.

“He better be because I’m supposed to fight him in June on the White House card. That’s why I fought for this [interim title].”

(Via @paramountufc ) pic.twitter.com/yQ9E2Z9Zaq
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) February 6, 2026

As Topuria has already knocked out great fighters like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira, the interim lightweight champion is looking very confident and ready to put on a show for fans.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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