Ilia Topuria, A force to be reckoned with in the Octagon
Ilia Topuria Shocks the World with Stunning Knockout Victory at UFC 298
UFC 298 as promised was a night of excitement, and it did certainly deliver as Ilia Topuria stole the show with a jaw-dropping performance. In a highly anticipated clash for the UFC featherweight belt, Topuria showcased his elite skills by knocking out the reigning champion, Alexander Volkanovski, in the second round.
Despite Volkanovski’s early dominance, Topuria remained confident and composed throughout the bout. He unleashed a devastating right hand which was enough to send Volkanovski crashing to the canvas, ending the fight at 3:32 of the second round.
With this victory, Topuria not only claimed the featherweight title but also maintained his undefeated record, now standing at an impressive 15-0. His pre-fight talk of championship aspirations proved to be more than just mere words as he backed it up with a stellar performance inside the Octagon.
For Volkanovski, it marked his second consecutive brutal knockout defeat, raising questions about his future in the sport. At 35 years old, the loss further highlights the challenges that older fighters face when competing against younger, hungry contenders.
In other notable matchups of the evening, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker showcased his skills with a dominant performance against Paulo Costa, securing a unanimous decision victory. Welterweight prospect Ian Machado Garry also emerged victorious, albeit in a lackluster bout against veteran Geoff Neal that left the crowd restless.
Additionally, former flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo put forth a valiant effort but ultimately fell short against Merab Dvalishvili, who displayed relentless cardio and aggression en route to a unanimous decision victory.
UFC 298 proved to be a night of triumphs and setbacks (read our post about another match between Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo) , with Topuria’s stunning knockout undoubtedly serving as the highlight of the event, solidifying his status as one of the most promising talents in the featherweight division in addition to the Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo
Merab Dvalishvili gets a title shot?
The machine aka “Merab Dvalishvili” might get a title shot for the bantamweight gold following his win over Henry Cejudo in UFC 298. The same has been confirmed by the UFO CEO Dana White.
The bantamweight gold will be on line on March 9 at UFC 299 in Miami , with champion Sean O’ Malley rematches with long time rival Marlon Vera .
Dvalishivili will be facing the winner as he would look to extend his 10-fight winning streak which will be his first ever UFC title opportunity.
During the match , rather than going for the takedown early , Dvalishvili seems to go on trade with Cejudo which seemed to be a mistake as Cejudo was able to give a few shots which seemed to wobble the former.
However , he kept on pressure on second and third round by completely out grappling him , including another takedown and to the point where he picked and carried him across the cage and slammed Cejudo.
Why did Tiger Woods withdraw from PGA
Tiger Woods who has been an icon of the golfing world, had his sights set on a successful return to the PGA Tour, but fate had seems to have other plans.
During the middle of his round at the Genesis Invitational, Woods was compelled to withdraw because of illness. The 48 year gold legends was visibly disappointed.
Through his social media he confirmed that he had to withdraw from the tour due to illness , which we now know as Influenza. He also informed that he was resting and was feeling much better. He did wish luck to the players for the weekend and went on to thank the organizers for the constant support. Despite the withdrawal he expressed gratitude for the well wishes and support from the fans.
Why did Jimmy Garoppolo get suspended ?
Mr. Quarterback of Las Vegas Raiders Jimmy Garoppolo has been suspended for 2 games for violation of NFL’s performance enchanting substance policy.
The violation relates to the use of prescribed medication without having a valid use exemption.
The Quarterback will not be appealing the suspension and will have to miss the first 2 games of 2024 season.
As per the sources the Raiders might release Garoppolo before the new year league in March and his guaranteed base salary of $11.25 million could be voided owing to the suspension.
The Quarterback had signed a 3 year deal with the Raiders in March last year in the presence of Josh McDaniels who was the head Coach and Dave Zeigler the general manager. Due to the changes in management and Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco replacing as head coach and the general manager respectively, the connection with J Garoppolo is missing.
After the expected release , Garoppolo is expected to be looking for his third team in less than 3 years. He played earlier for San Francisco 49ers in 2022 before signing up as free agent for Raiders in 2023.
As per the rules of NFL , he will be allowed to participate in offseason activities and training with the team , but when the season begins he will be barred for two weeks because of the suspension .