UFC 298: The Biggest Storylines Happening at UFC Anaheim
UFC 298 presents one of the most stacked fight cards of early 2024. What elevates the anticipation even further are the engaging backstories woven into some of these fights, making them all the more enticing to watch.
Let's dive into some of these narratives.
Vicious Finisher Throws Herself Back into Title Contention
Filling in as a short-notice replacement against Mackenzie Dern, Brazilian terror Amanda Lemos seeks her second chance to enter strawweight title contention. "Amandinha's" last appearance was against champion Weili Zhang at UFC 292 - one of the most devastating championship losses in UFC history.
Zhang Weili showed levels in her championship victory over Amanda Lemos at UFC 292.
Lemos landed just 29 strikes compared to Zhang's 296 and seemingly shut herself out of title contention for the foreseeable future. Now, as Weili gears up for her second title defence against Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300, Lemos pursues a dominant performance at UFC 298.
The same can be said for Dern, who comes off of the most dominant losses of her career against Jessica Andrade. The American submission specialist was thoroughly dismantled by the former champion, and soundly TKO'd in the second round.
The loser of this fight will be knocked down several spots in the rankings, while the winner cements their place as a top title contender.
Devastating Russian Kickboxer Vies to Shake up Middleweight Top-15
Few names outside the middleweight top 15 captivate viewers like Roman Kopylov. The Russian kickboxer enters UFC 298 with a stunning four-fight finishing streak, including one of the best head-kick knockouts of 2023.
Roman Kopylov scored an emphatic head kick knockout over Claudio Ribeiro at UFC 291.
Jeff Swinger USA-Today Sports
Kopylov gets his first chance to enter the middleweight rankings when he enters the octagon at UFC 298. He faces a stiff test, however, as his opponent specialises in spoiling the party. #15 ranked Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez might be one of the most underrated middleweights in the top 15.
The American grappler stunned audiences by submitting world-class BJJ practitioner Rodolfo Vieira at UFC 258 and has since won three in a row, including finishes over Marc-Andre Barriault and Edmen Shahbazyan.
Does Kopylov wash over Hernandez with his frighteningly accurate striking, or does Hernandez drown Kopylov with his pressure and grappling prowess?
Do or Die: Cejudo Faces Retirement With a Loss to Dvalishvili
'Triple C' Henry Cejudo had his return from retirement spoiled by Aljamain Sterling in 2023, and the 37-year-old former champion knows what's on the line at UFC 298. It's "all or nothing" according to the former Olympian, who knows this is realistically his last run at UFC gold.
Merab Dvalishvili knows the same, and the Georgian sensation vows to retire the former double-champion just like he did with Jose Aldo in 2022. The matchup is interesting, stylistically, as Dvalishvili's bottomless cardio is paired with Cejudo's Olympic-level wrestling.
Welterweight Grudge Match Occupies UFC 298 Main Card
UFC 298 plays host to the long-awaited return of hot-headed Irishman Ian Garry. "The Future" lost fanfare with his late-notice pullout against Vicente Luque at UFC 296, and now he seeks redemption against another welterweight with whom he has had a heated past.
Geoff "Handz of Steel" Neal proved to be one of the most underrated welterweights on the roster with his competitive loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov in early 2023. Neal and Garry were booked to fight once before at UFC 292, and before pulling out of the fight, the Irish star fanned the flames of their budding rivalry with relentless trash talk.
Garry infamously wore Neal's DUI mugshot on a shirt when attending UFC 290 - a decision he has "zero regrets" about making. A victory for either man at UFC 298 cements their shot at the division's top-five.
Alexander Volkanovski Fights 2 Opponents in UFC 298's Main Event
Alexander Volkanovski not only tackles an undefeated Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, but he battles a so-called 'curse' which has befallen many featherweights before him. While the Aussie champion is convinced age is but a number --- as evidenced by his comical video --- the stats weigh heavily in his opponent's favour.
At 35 years of age, Volkanovski faces insurmountable odds. The stats show that male fighters his age, below welterweight, are winless in title fights. This, paired with Topuria's relentless pre-fight trash talk, should make for a historic title fight.
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