MMA
New featherweight world champion Ilia Topuria had these stinging words for Conor McGregor at UFC 298
Watch UFC 298 on ESPN+ PPV (US only)
Moments after crushing Alexander Volkanovski with a shocking knockout punch to become the new featherweight world champion at UFC 298, Ilia Topuria made his latest desired conquest known.
"It's showtime," a victorious Topuria told Joe Rogan inside the Octagon at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on Saturday night. "It's time to take the UFC to Spain."
And should the company book an event there, the 27-year-old Topuria has just the opponent in mind — none other than the "Notorious" one.
Topuria added: "And Conor McGregor, if you still have some balls, I will be waiting for you in Spain."
Later during the UFC 298 post-fight press conference, Dana White said: "If there's a venue available for us, we'll be there."
Topuria certainly upped his star power in dramatic fashion by ending the reign of arguably the greatest featherweight champion that the UFC has ever seen in Volkanovski.
The statement knockout came at the 3:32 mark of the second round when Topuria closed the distance and unleashed a hellacious short right hand across the jaw that crumbled Volk on impact, knocking him out cold.
Although McGregor hasn't fought since July 2021, a fight with Topuria would figure to deliver fireworks.
Prior to the UFC 298 main event, McGregor took to his X account and predicted that Volk would knock out Topuria — only to have the exact opposite take place.
