MMASucka staff picks are locked in for the second-half of our double-header.
UFC 298 will take place later today, February 17th from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. This comes as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to the venue for the first time since UFC 270 in January of 2022 and the tenth time overall since UFC 59 in April of 2006. Early preliminaries for tonight’s event will begin at 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT) on UFC Fight Pass with the regular preliminary card at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) on both ESPN and ESPN+. Five main card bouts will take place on pay-per-view at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT).
Stay tuned here at MMASucka for UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria results. Be sure to recap our staff picks and predictions from Friday’s ONE Fight Night 19 event in Bangkok, Thailand.
Main Event
A thrilling clash will headline the night ahead between current UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski and challenger Ilia Topuria.
Australia’s Volkanovski targets a sixth defense of his divisional title since capturing the belt over Max Holloway in December of 2019. Last calendar year, the well-rounded athlete’s fifth 145-pound defense of Yair Rodriguez fell between two lightweight losses to Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev. Volkanovski’s opponent, Topuria, gets his first MMA title shot since taking the vacant Cage Warriors Bantamweight Championship in the summer of 2018. The grappling specialist has yet to face professional defeat having won all 14 of his fights with six in the octagon with twelve by way of stoppage.
One is defending the title. The other is going after it 😳@AlexVolkanovski vs @TopuriaIlia
[ TOMORROW | Live on @ESPNPlus PPV | #UFC298 ] pic.twitter.com/rGCM09gc3R
— UFC (@ufc) February 17, 2024
Co-Main Event
Middleweights Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa meet in a pivotal clash for the middleweight division. Former divisional Champion and former The Ultimate Fighter tournament victor Whittaker looks to bounce back after his title elimination defeat to recently-crowned king Dricus du Plessis. Former Jungle Fight Middleweight Champion and UFC title challenger Costa returns after a near-18 month hiatus where he lastly snapped a two-fight skid with a victory over Luke Rockhold.
You’re not going to want to miss this middleweight battle ⚔️@RobWhittakerMMA vs @BorrachinhaMMA
[ TOMORROW | Live on @ESPNPlus PPV | #UFC298 ] pic.twitter.com/7ceILndOeA
— UFC (@ufc) February 17, 2024
Remaining Card
A welterweight matchup between Fortis MMA’s Geoff Neal and undefeated Ian Machado Garry will finally occur after their meeting was cancelled last August.
In a possible title elimination bout, bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili puts his nine-fight win streak on the line against former two-divisional UFC Champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo.
Opening the main card sees a must-watch pairing between former LFA Middleweight Champion Anthony Hernandez and former FNG Middleweight Champion Roman Kopylov.
Find our staff picks and predictions for UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria further below.
Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL MMA), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).
- UFC picks will compose main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.
- PFL MMA picks are to be determined as card structures will likely change following last year’s merger with Bellator MMA.
- ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.
The individual who picks the most victorious fighters by the end of 2024 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a detailed chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2023 were won by Ben Jamieson with a record of 300-148.
See below our UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria picks and predictions.
RECORDS AFTER UFC VEGAS 86:
1. Frazer Krohn: 21-10
2. Nate Freeman: 18-13
3T. Wesley Riddle: 15-16
3T. Michael DeSantis: 15-16
5. Jeremy Brand: 14-17
6T. Andrew Benjamin: 12-8
6T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 12-7
8. Lukas DeWitt: 8-9
9. Casey Cooper: 4-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – ONE Fight Night 19 picks will be added to records NEXT weekend*
Anthony Hernandez (11-2, 1 NC), -235
vs.
Roman Kopylov (12-2), +180
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
– 185 LBS. ~ 83.9 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Hernandez via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Hernandez via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Hernandez via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Hernandez via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Hernandez via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Hernandez via Round 2 SUB
Julio Monteros Jr.: Hernandez via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Hernandez via Round 3 SUB
Michael Kachan: Hernandez via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Hernandez: 9
Staff picking Kopylov: 0
Merab Dvalishvili (16-4), +275
vs.
Henry Cejudo (16-3), +225
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION
– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Cejudo via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Cejudo via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Dvalishvili via Split Decision
Michael Kachan: Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Dvalishvili: 7
Staff picking Cejudo: 2
Geoff Neal (15-5), +190
vs.
Ian Machado Garry (13-0), -250
WELTEREWIGHT DIVISION
– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Machado Garry via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Machado Garry via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Neal via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Neal via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Machado Garry via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Machado Garry via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Machado Garry via Round 2 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Machado Garry via Unanimous Decision
Michael Kachan: Neal via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Neal: 3
Staff picking Machado Garry: 6
Robert Whittaker (25-7), +190
vs.
Paulo Costa (14-2), -230
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
– CO-MAIN EVENT –
– 185 LBS. ~ 83.9 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Costa via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Michael Kachan: Whittaker via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Whittaker: 8
Staff picking Costa: 1
Alexander Volkanovski (26-3), -125
vs.
Ilia Topuria (14-0), +105
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
– MAIN EVENT –
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Volkanovski via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Volkanovski via Round 5 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Volkanovski via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Volkanovski via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Volkanovski via Round 4 TKO
Nate Freeman: Volkanovski via Split Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Topuria via Round 3 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Michael Kachan: Volkanovski via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Volkanovski: 7
Staff picking Topuria: 2
